For many of us, joining a club is just another attribute to a college resumé, but the new medical club at WHS offers students who want to pursue a medical career a chance to learn about their passion.

Junior Ciara Murphy created the club this year to fulfill her Girl Scout Gold Award project and because she wants to gain experience before college since she wants to have a career in medicine. Unlike other clubs, this one allows students to sign up for the classes they are most interested, and they are not indebted to go to other meetings. Club members meet on Wednesdays after school with real medical professionals, which allows students to learn through experiences and classroom time.

“I realized there weren’t too many sources for medical professionals for high [school] students, and there’s never been a medical club at Wayland,” Murphy said. “So I thought this was a great way to introduce both medical professionals into our community and for high schoolers to [go to medical classes].”

Murphy wanted to start this club to fulfill her Girl Scout Gold Award project, which is the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive, and less than six percent earn one every year.

“The point of the project is to create a sustainable project within your own community that will target an audience every year that will somehow benefit the community,” Murphy said.

The classes that are available to students include “First Aid” with Wayland Head Fire/EMS Chief David Houghton, “How to Tape an Ankle” with trainer Chris Morash, “Suture Lab” with Dr. Julie VanRooyen, “First Aid/ Public Health” with nurse Ruth Mori, and “Nationwide Stop the Bleed Movement Certification” with Cindy Reardon.

Murphy expressed that the first class with David Houghton was extremely fun. An ambulance arrived with three paramedics to show club members the different parts of the ambulance and actions to perform in emergencies.

“Our first class with the head of EMS at Wayland was absolutely awesome,” Murphy said.

Mori is looking forward to working with students and sharing her knowledge of medicine with others who are passionate.

“I am hoping students have a better perspective of the importance of public health,” Mori said. “Public health works to improve a population’s health meaning working with groups of people rather than just one person at a time such as in a medical office. Typically the public health workforce works behind the scenes to keep people healthy with an emphasis on prevention.”

Students have expressed extreme interest in this club, filling all the spots within half an hour of it being sent out. Sophomore Lara Bencsics, who desires to be a veterinarian in the future, signed up for two classes and is looking forward to the event.

“I think it would be useful to explore different careers in a club based environment before going off to college,” Bencsics said.

The medical club isn’t only helpful in terms of college but is additionally useful to gain early knowledge about medicine so that students can discover if this is a career they wish to pursue.

“It is important for high schoolers to learn what interests them and to find what they may be passionate about,” Mori said. “We all spend a great deal of time in the workforce, so finding a career that one loves to do each day allows us to feel more fulfilled overall.”

Most of the medical professionals love the idea of having a club where members of the Wayland community can interact with students.

“I am most impressed that Ms. Ciara Murphy wanted to have individuals with medical backgrounds share some of their knowledge with students,” Mori said. “Also, her story about spending considerable time and effort to develop this sustainable project through the Girl Scouts that directly benefits her peers is remarkable. I am really proud to be part of her planning and programming efforts.”