Schools

Encinitas Teens Learn about Drug Prevention while Exploring Health Careers

The Young Leaders in Health Care partnered with San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth for the educational event.

Editor's Note: The following news release is from the San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth.

The Young Leaders in Health Care (YLiHC) recently partnered with San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth in Encinitas to learn about medical consequences related to prescription drug overdoses, and drunk or drugged driving while learning about careers in the health care industry.

“How long does it take a human brain to die?” asked Dr. Randall Goskowicz, a Scripps Hospital anesthesiologist, in a room filled with high school students. “It takes just three to four minutes to become brain dead”. The potential for traumatic brain injury is very likely in a region were 31 percent of teens have driven themselves or with a driver who has been drinking, according to California Healthy Kids Survey.

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This was just the beginning of the presentation Goskowicz gave to YLiHC students. He described the value of speedy medical intervention. “If pure oxygen is administered, and in ideal situations, the brain can live for twenty minutes—dramatically increasing the chance of survival,” Goskowicz explained. It is imperative that teens watch over each other and respond to dangerous situations quickly since the California Healthy Kids Survey also indicated 34 percent of  high school juniors reported using alcohol and 19 percent marijuana in the past the 30 days.

“Anesthesiologists are specialists in two areas: We are airway experts and pharmacology experts. We tend to be tri-athletes, stay married and don’t drink or do drugs because every day we see what happens to the body if you don’t take care of it,” said Dr. Goskowicz.

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“It is exciting to see the number of students interested in personal safety, community wellness and healthcare. The hands-on experiences are very moving. In some cases, students are realizing that they may not want to become a physician, but that there are other jobs where they can work that improves the quality of life for people, young and old,” stated Jenn McClune, San Dieguito Academy science teacher and YLiHC advisor.

Parents also feel very grateful for their kids to be part of YLiHC. “It is such a meaningful opportunity for my son to explore the health care field and plan for a more meaningful future,’’ said Anna Yee, a nurse and parent of a YLiHC student.

“This club is lots of fun. It is a great way to get exposure to the medical field. There are so many opportunities for anyone interested who values saving and protecting life,” stated sophomore Kira Gaby. 

About Young Leaders in Health Care

The Young Leaders in Health Care (YLiHC) club is a Scripps Hospital outreach program for high school students interested in careers in health care. The program is directed by Dr. Andrew Accardi, an emergency room physician.  The club meets once a month at Scripps Encinitas and throughout the month at local high schools. Students discuss health care systems, explore career opportunities, meet medical professionals and develop service projects to satisfy high school requirements and make a positive impact in the community. At the end of the school year a student-run competition is held where each school team presents a topic in line with the year’s goal.  For more information about YLiHC, please visit www.youngleadersinhealthcare.org or contact Joelle Cook at cook.joelle@scrippshealth.org.


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