Health Sciences Career Exploration

Explore the many exciting career opportunities available at our Adult Day Health Centers where we serve a variety of people age 18 and older!  Our social workers assist with care plans, funding, and problem solving every day community needs.  Nurses monitor medications, work with community physicians, and complete health assessments.  Patient Care Assistants do many of the same tasks as a CNA such as, safety awareness/fall prevention, bathing, activities, and meal assistance.  Program and activity specialists, and our habilitation staff, engage our participants in programming, outings, special events, and individualized programming that helps them meet their goals. Our dining staff make sure we are following special diets and honor personal choice.  We would love to have you join us and show you not only what it takes to do their work day to day, but how roles interact to meet the needs of our participants!

Would you like to be involved in sports and athletics with high level athletes in a college atmosphere on a daily basis? If you love to compete and to be around competitive individuals striving to be the best version of themselves, then please join us at Mount Mercy University to explore career paths as an athletic trainer, athletic director, sports information director, and college coach. Held March 25, 2026.

Do you have a passion for sports and athletics? Learn more about careers in athletics such as coaching, sports marketing and athletic training.  Held Spring 2026.

Learn about a career in healthcare that is outside the four walls of a hospital. A career in EMS as an EMT or Paramedic is a rewarding profession. Receive an inside look at this potential profession from current ground and flight EMS providers. Along with getting hands-on experience with life-saving skills such as airway management, bleeding control, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. Held Spring 2026.

Explore the dynamic field of genetics. Students will explore the career path of genetic counseling and visit a genetics research or genetic testing lab. Learn the technologies and methods driving modern genomic science through hands-on activities. 

In this job shadow experience we will talk about various health care careers; Nursing, Lab, Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy, EMT and Pharmacy careers are a few that may be included in this immersive learning day. Students will have an onsite virtual reality experience. This may include time with high fidelity simulators and other hands-on learning opportunities. Cap of 22.

Come explore the world of laboratory medicine with phlebotomists, laboratory assistants, medical technicians, and pathologists! The laboratory team will share testimonials on how they got into the field. You will also learn about the education requirements and advancement opportunities within laboratory medicine. You will receive a brief tour of the laboratory and then you will be paired up one-on-one with a laboratory team member. During the job shadow, you will have an opportunity to observe laboratory professionals in Specimen Collection and Processing, Transfusion Medicine, Chemistry, Hematology, and Microbiology. If you are interested in the medical field but you aren’t sure you want to work in direct patient care, then this event may be for you! Held Spring 2026.

Interested in helping people live better lives? Through small group, round table discussions you will have the opportunity to hear and ask questions from individuals in a variety of career disciplines, including social work, counseling, psychology, and social services.  Held April 7, 2026.

Learn about what qualities are important for therapists to have, possible environments you may work, duties and responsibilities you will have as a therapist, and the difference between mental health counselors and social workers.

Join us for an exciting opportunity to explore how WesleyLife is transforming the aging experience at Halcyon House! WesleyLife, a leader in health and well-being for adults 55+, offers rewarding career paths for those passionate about serving older adults, including nursing, certified nursing assistants, and well-being roles. During the event, you will tour Halcyon House, get a behind-the-scenes look at the different levels of living, and see our dedicated team members in action. You will witness firsthand how our team provides care and engages residents in meaningful activities to enhance their well-being and pursue joy. Afterward, you will participate in a hands-on activity with our team and residents, followed by lunch! This is a great opportunity to see how careers in healthcare can make a real impact in people’s lives. Cap of 10.

Learn about the Nursing Profession at UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital. Discover the critical role of the nurse in ensuring the well-being of patients requiring hospitalization. You will have the opportunity to see and hear more about the technology and tools used in patient care. Take a tour of the hospital, focusing on emergency medicine, behavioral health, acute adult and physical medicine and rehab. Plus learn about our Magnet Designation status and generate Innovation Lab. Held Spring 2026. Cap of 22.

The Iowa City VA Health Care System provides Veterans with world-class health care and services. Please join us at the Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City to participate in a simulation-based Nursing Day that will highlight the “Art of Nursing.” You will observe a professional nurse completing daily tasks, procedures, and activities. You will also observe staff interactions, patient interactions, and witness a nurse responding to a simulated emergent medical condition.

Join the UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Operating Room (OR) team and learn about the roles of nurses, surgical technicians, anesthesiologists, and surgeons. Discover the critical roles each team member plays in ensuring the well-being of patients undergoing surgery. You will have the opportunity to see and hear more about the technology and tools used in operations. Take an OR room tour, learn about laparoscopic surgery, intubation, casting and maintaining a sterile field. Plus try out a virtual reality headset to see how surgical techs use this technology to practice the intricate steps of a surgery before performing it. This will take place on a Saturday in Spring 2026. Cap of 22.

Learn about the variety of pathology careers from faculty and staff at the University of Iowa.  Visit labs, perform hands-on pathology activities, and participate in Q and A sessions with our faculty and staff.

Learn about rehabilitation therapy careers and the integrated role they play in patient recovery.  Students will have the opportunity to interact with Respiratory Therapists, Physical or Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists through hands-on activities, introduction to therapy devices and equipment and tours of therapy spaces.

Step into the heart of Mercy’s medication magic! In this fast-paced, 3-hour experience, you’ll explore the Central Pharmacy and see high-tech machines that sort, fill, and dispense medications—it’s like watching science and technology come alive. You’ll meet the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, the experts who keep the entire hospital moving, learn how medications get where they need to go, and get a real feel for what a career in a hospital pharmacy is all about. If you’re into science, tech, or hands-on problem-solving, this is the perfect behind-the-scenes adventure! Held Spring 2026.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go to pharmacy school?  You will learn about the admissions process for pharmacy school, take a virtual tour of the brand new University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, and talk to current UI pharmacy students about their experiences. 

Learn about the #2 ranked Physician Assistant program in the country. Meet with the director of admissions, tour the Physician Assistant school, have a Q & A with current Physician Assistant students, learn how to splint, and learn how to prep yourself for application.

Are you curious about how therapists help people recover from injuries, illnesses, and disabilities? If you're interested in healthcare and making a difference in people's lives, come explore the world of rehabilitation therapy! This job shadow will introduce you to three exciting fields—Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Therapy—where you’ll get hands-on exposure to the tools and techniques therapists use every day.

During this immersive session, you’ll learn how Physical Therapists help patients regain strength, mobility, and independence, test your own balance and strength, and explore how therapists treat joint pain and improve movement. You’ll also discover how Occupational Therapists teach people to master daily tasks after a life-changing event and adapt environments to make life easier. And in Speech-Language Therapy, you’ll see the science behind helping patients regain the ability to speak, swallow, and communicate effectively. Held March 31, 2026.

Join a physical therapist at Team Iowa Physical Therapy to learn all you need to know about this exciting and rewarding career! They will share information about what their job is like on a day-to-day basis, the skills it takes to do this job and the education needed.

Do you love technology and wish to be part of the greatest period of healthcare transformation in history? Join us for a day at our school classroom, lab, and radiology department at Mercy Hospital. Learn about the many careers within radiologic technology such as CT, MRI, breast imaging, nuclear medicine, sonography and CVI. We will also touch on the difference between a technologist, radiologist, radiologist assistant. You will enjoy a tour of the imaging center as well as gain some hands-on experience with the equipment and x-ray images. You will also have an opportunity to talk to individuals in several of the modalities!  Held Spring 2026.