Beckett attends National Youth Leadership Forum

Published 9:39 am Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Special to The Leader

WASHINGTON, DC — Theresa Beckett, a student at Little Cypress Mauriceville High School, attended the 2015 National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Medicine this summer on June 21 – June 29 at the University of Houston.

High school students from across the county took part in a unique career development opportunity NYLF: Medicine, an Envision program. Forum sessions were held across the United States, introducing young scholars to the many challenges and career options in the field of medicine.

NYLF Medicine is a part of the Envision family of programs, which enable students of all ages to explore their interests and experience learning beyond the classroom. Throughout the nine-day program, students are introduced to emerging issues in public health, medical ethics, research, and general practice. Site visits to top medical schools and clinical facilities expose the next generation of medical professionals to the real world of medicine. The medical school Beckett toured during this program was the University of Texas Medical Branch – Galveston. She also was able to tour a robotic surgery clinic, where the students were allowed to have hands on experience with the robotic equipment. A highlight of the forum enables students to test their knowledge as they triaged injured patients in a mass casualty simulation.

“The program provides an important behind-the-scenes perspective on medical careers,” Dean of Academic Affairs for NYFL Medicine Marguerite C. Regan, Ph.D. said. “This is a critical time for high school students to begin exploring their career paths, just prior to immersing themselves in college coursework”.

Many of the students who attended the forum are nominated on their demonstrated academic excellence, leadership potential, and interests in medicine.

Beckett will begin her junior year this fall.