High school students experience simulated public health crisis at UofL, Morehead State

An April program at the University of Louisville served as the pilot program on public health crises for a simulation to be held at Morehead State University on Monday.

High school students acted as health officials, responding to a simulated infectious disease outbreak public health crisis at the UofL Health Sciences Center on April 15. Event organizers from UofL’s School of Medicine and School of Public Health and Information Sciences and the Kentucky Department for Public Health guided approximately 20 Central High School students through a series of activities to identify the source of a disease outbreak and plan a response.

Presented with a health crisis scenario, the students researched three potential diagnoses, interviewed standardized patients and participated in a “tick drag” to gather insects they suspected to be the source of infections. After determining the outbreak was caused by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the students designed a public health plan to curb the spread. 

The project was a pilot for a larger event to take place June 5 at Morehead State University for 32 students in the Rogers Scholars Program. It is designed to interest the students in health careers.