M.A.S.H. Camp: Opening doors & inspiring the next generation of caregivers

Each summer, hundreds of students across Washington state swap out their swimsuits for scrubs as they take deep dive into what a career in healthcare could look like at the MultiCare Academy for Students in Healthcare (M.A.S.H.) Camp.

Originally founded in 2004 in the Puget Sound region, M.A.S.H. Camp has since expanded to the Inland Northwest and Yakima communities — providing career exploration opportunities to students who previously had limited options.

“Over the past two decades, the program has grown from a local career exploration camp into a well-established workforce pipeline initiative that has introduced hundreds of students to careers in healthcare,” says Nancy Thompkins, RN, BSN, MultiCare community outreach program manager, who coordinates the Puget Sound region camp. “By investing in students today, we are strengthening tomorrow’s healthcare workforce with individuals who are informed, passionate and better prepared to enter the profession.”

Each region hosts a four- to five-day camp in June or July that brings high school students and recent graduates together with real MultiCare employees, volunteers and community partners.

Throughout the week they’re introduced to some of the skills they may need in the future, such as suturing, CPR or placing an IV; they spend time shadowing MultiCare employees across a range of clinical and nonclinical departments; and they learn about post-graduation options, including volunteer opportunities, training programs, internships and college.

M.A.S.H. Camp offers a low-barrier introduction for everyone

M.A.S.H. Camp is free to all students and aims to provide equitable access, especially to those in underserved communities who may face greater challenges participating in other similar programs.

“Many career exploration opportunities can be expensive or inaccessible, particularly during the summer,” Thompkins says. “By offering the program free of charge, including certifications, supplies, lunches, transportation support for certain activities, and hands-on experiences, we ensure that students can participate based on their interest and potential, not their financial circumstances. This helps create a more equitable pathway into healthcare careers.”

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This is all possible in large part thanks to the time volunteered by employees, collaboration and support from community partners, and financial contributions from MultiCare donors, explains Katie Van Deusen, MultiCare Human Potential recruiter and coordinator for the Inland Northwest M.A.S.H. Camp.

“Every single volunteer, from our job-shadow partners to our activity station leaders to community donors, plays a role,” she says. “M.A.S.H. Camp allows students to wholly focus on healthcare activities by removing other concerns during the week, like food, which is provided thanks to donor funding.”

M.A.S.H. Camp is truly a program by and for the community — and one that hopefully keeps students inspired to live out that future career right at home.

“By helping students discover meaningful careers in healthcare, M.A.S.H. Camp supports the long-term health of our communities,” Thompkins says.

M.A.S.H. Camp shows the many ways to enter the healthcare field

So often, people assume a career in healthcare is out of their budget or requires years of college and medical school. M.A.S.H. Camp aims to show the many ways you can find your calling in the workforce.

M.A.S.H. Camp organizers hope students find a career option they had never previously considered or affirm the one they’ve already been thinking about through this experience,” Van Deusen says.

From the clinical roles most students know about, like nurses and doctors, to the wide variety of specialties and the nonclinical side of healthcare, such as information technology or nutrition, students are encouraged to keep an open mind when it comes to their future.

Regardless of the path they choose, Van Deusen hopes students walk away with a meaningful experience and feel inspired to take that next step.

Thompkins wants students to leave M.A.S.H. Camp feeling confident, with a clearer understanding of what their future could look like, and excited to see how they could have a real impact on their community.

“M.A.S.H. Camp demonstrates that answering the call to health begins long before someone enters the workforce,” she says. “It starts by opening doors, creating opportunities and helping students envision themselves making a difference.”