Cincy State & partners hosted “Scrubs Camp 2026”

In May 2026 Cincinnati State welcomed 50 high school students from Grant Career Center to “Scrubs Camp 2026,” giving the students opportunities to explore a variety of career options in healthcare while interacting with Cincy State faculty members and College staff members representing several health and public safety programs. 

Partners in presenting Scrubs Camp included The Health Collaborative, Career Pathway Support Networks – Southwest Region (formerly Tech Prep), Grant Career Center, and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

During the week-long camp, students learned through lectures and lab sessions as well as other activities designed to strengthen the skills used in possible healthcare careers. Camp participants also joined interactive activities to learn more about healthcare teams, and they spent a day at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where they toured the facilities and met with healthcare professionals on the job.

On the final day, campers invited a parent or guardian to attend a lunch where students spoke about their experiences and received a certificate of participation.

Students said stand-out activities from Scrubs Camp included “exploring all the career options,” “dissecting a sheep heart,” “trying out lots of hands-on activities,” “scrubbing in for a pretend operation,” and ”learning more about the benefits and even the negatives of different occupations I didn’t think about before.” One camper commented, “I loved the staff, the stations, and the procedures,” and another said, “Everything was so cool and very interesting!”

Students also rated the Scrubs Camp as “very fun” and “beyond expectations,” and many said they are now “extremely interested” in pursuing a healthcare career.

Click to watch an 18-minute video recap of Scrubs Camp 2026 highlights, or scroll to see photos of some Scrubs Camp experiences.

(Photos provided by Brittany King and Lisa Lucas | Reporting by Lisa Lucas)