Future Health Leaders Camp Underway In The Upper Peninsula

The Future Health Leaders camp offered on the Northern Michigan University campus in Marquette is now underway.  The camp introduces young Yoopers to the medical professions, which are chronically short staffed in the Upper Peninsula:

https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2026/07/22/up-health-camp-aims-open-doors-attendees/

https://nmu.edu/ruralhealth/health-camp

UP health camp aims to open doors for attendees
By Ethan Desjardine - July 22, 2026

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - The U.P Future Health Leaders camp is in full swing this week.

The camp, a partnership between Northern Michigan University, Michigan State University, and local health professionals, aims to educate and advance health career exploration for 9th and 10th graders across the U.P.

The camp consists of six days of learning about various aspects of health, meeting professionals, exploring simulation labs, visiting a local hospital, and earning CPR certification.

Organizers of the camp, such as Elise Bur, NMU’s Rural Health Center Director, hope that programs like the Future Health Leaders Camp can introduce the idea of a career in healthcare to youth, especially at a time when the U.P. faces a significant shortage.

“The Upper Peninsula has a health professional shortage area in general, so trying to expose students to the different types of healthcare careers and encouraging them to return to the U.P. and practice afterward is really going to set the U.P. up for the future,” Bur said.

Bur also stressed the importance of having students interact with local professionals.

“These students see these professionals as people who were born and raised here and are now practicing here, and that goes a long way because the students can actually see themselves one day doing the same thing,” Bur said.

Bur isn’t the only one trying to open doors for students, however.

Upper Great Lakes Marquette Family Health Center’s practice manager Sarah Tregembo preaches that pathways do exist.

“The biggest thing I’ve been trying to let kids know is there is opportunities in the U.P. for them, if healthcare is what they are trying to do, from any type of entry-level position all the way up to a physician,” Tregembo said.

The camp has been a success so far, at least in the eyes of student Mung Khai, who says because of the camp, he now wants a career in healthcare.

“I learned so much about health and the jobs, being exposed to all of the careers I can go to,” Khai said. “I didn’t really know what I wanted to do last year, but I’ve got a good hold on what I want to do now.”