The first Frontier MedQuest Camp was held in June 2023 in Harney County. Applications are now open for 2024.

Harney District Hospital (HDH) is teaming up with the High Desert Partnership, Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center (NEOAHEC), and local health care providers to bring the Frontier MedQuest Health Career Exploration Camp back to Harney County this summer. This all-inclusive camp is designed to help Oregon high school students gain a better understanding of health care careers, specifically in frontier medicine. This year’s camp will be held from June 3-7, 2024.

Spanning five days and four nights, the camp gives students the opportunity to participate in a variety of unique medical experiences, including individually tailored job shadows, hands-on activities with local providers, tours of medical facilities, and much more.

“At my job shadow in the HDH Emergency Department, I saw some patients who had been injured, and then I got to see their X-rays and see what was wrong inside them,” 2023 Frontier MedQuest camper Juliana Bowns said. “I learned about the various types of radiation tools and how each of them is useful.”

After job shadowing in the HDH Family Care Clinic, 2023 Frontier MedQuest camper Ridge Kehr said, “I can see myself as that kind of family doctor someday.”

Campers will stay in the dormitory at Crane Union High School and enjoy a trip to the Crystal Crane Hot Springs. Alongside regular meals, campers will be treated to a community barbecue at a local ranch. They will also receive a professional stethoscope and an introduction to CPR and first aid. 

The Frontier MedQuest Camp was generously supported by a grant from the Roundhouse Foundation. The Roundhouse Foundation shares NEOAHEC’s vision and passion for helping rural communities achieve better health outcomes through education. It is solely through the support of the Roundhouse Foundation that NEOAHEC was able to expand its longstanding MedQuest Camp from one camp pre-pandemic to three camps post-pandemic.

NEOAHEC believes there is a place for everyone in health care. Through its work to educate and inspire students and current health care professionals, NEOAHEC is helping rural and frontier communities grow their own health care professionals who are uniquely equipped to meet the diverse needs of their communities. 

NEOAHEC is now accepting applications for this year’s Frontier MedQuest Camp. A total of 25 spots are available for high school students all across Oregon. All current high school students are eligible, including graduating seniors. NEOAHEC will select applicants based on their GPA, grade level, motivation for healthcare, and representation in the field of health care.

To apply for this year’s Frontier MedQuest Camp, visit www.neoahec.org, go to “Pathway Programs,” and click on “MedQuest”. The application deadline is March 31. For additional information, email Michelle Mudder at mmudder@neoahec.org.