Austin Peay State University to host summer healthcare camps for high school students

Austin Peay State University is hosting three healthcare camps this summer for high school students to help them develop an interest in pursuing a career in the medical field or in nursing. The camps are supported through grants from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation. The camps will take place in June and July 2026.

According to an article on Austin Peay State University’s website, Dr. Dlynn Williams, who serves as the dean of the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, was quoted as saying, “Building a healthier Tennessee starts with building the workforce early. These programs help students see themselves in healthcare careers while developing the skills and confidence needed to serve their communities. A healthier Tennessee strengthens our state economically and socially. We are grateful to our state and community partners for trusting Austin Peay with this important work. Their support is helping us grow the next generation of healthcare professionals our region and state will rely on.”

The Healthcare Explorers Camp, which runs from June 14-19, 2026, is a free residential camp for rising high school juniors and seniors from Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Marshall, Maury, Robertson, and Stewart counties. Students will live on campus as they explore healthcare career options through hands-on learning and simulations focused on nursing, medical lab sciences, and radiography. The camp is provided via grant funding from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

The Future Nurse Summer Academy has two weeklong sessions that students can choose from: June 23-26 or July 7-10, 2026. The sessions are available to rising high school juniors and seniors, as well as college freshmen, who are interested in pursuing a nursing education. The program has been designed to give students hands-on experiences and simulations to help them understand what a nursing career entails. Participants will learn from university nursing faculty and will experience simulations of the core nursing skills needed for the career and will learn about different nursing specialties. The camp is funded by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

The Nursing Specialty Intensive Days are one-day sessions that explore different specialties of nursing. The Maternal Nursing intensive takes place on Wednesday, June 10. The Pediatrics intensive takes place on Friday, June 12. The Community & Mental Health intensive takes place on Monday, July 6. The Critical Care intensive takes place on Tuesday, July 28. Students will be able to thoroughly explore different nursing specializations in the university’s nursing labs, interact with faculty members, and learn the basics of the specialization that interests them. The intensive sessions are for rising high school juniors, seniors, and college freshmen and are supported by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation.

For more information about Austin Peay State University, visit the school’s website.