COLUMBUS, Ohio — High school students throughout Ohio and beyond met at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center to study neuroscience and also learned more about themselves.
Georgia Bishop, Ph.D., is a professor and vice chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Ohio State University, and leads the program.
“This is just a good time. They’re beginning to think about, ‘What do I want to do?’” Bishop said. “Most of them think they want to be physicians, but we want to show them that there is another side—the research side.”
Madeline Flythe, a rising high school senior, said it’s a relief to have time to decide what she wants to do.
“You can pursue all of these different things, all these different options and you don’t have to be too concerned about one particular thing because there’s a whole world of possibilities,” Flythe said.
Meanwhile, Samuel Short, a rising junior, said he doesn’t have much interest in becoming a neuroscientist. His reason for attending was much more personal.
“I have a cancer that’s based in your neurological pathways,” he said. “Like in my spine, I’ve gotten to learn a lot more, and it all relates to over the past five years. It explains a lot more.”
Short said he plans on becoming a veterinarian, but continues to be interested in neuroscience and plans to attend next summer’s camp as a rising senior as well.
“I’ve definitely learned that it’s okay to share your story,” he said. “I came up and kind of told everyone what was happening and they thought it was pretty interesting. And I think it’s good to explore new things and not be afraid to share who you are.”
Eighty students throughout the state, and those from as far away as Poland and China, attended the camp.
