Building Empathy Through STEM: Why Diversity of Experience Enriches Medical Learning

Over the past 10 years, more than 4,500 children have attended Medics Camp's medical science and STEM programs. But one of the things that has always made Medics Camp special isn't something we put into the curriculum.

It's the children themselves.

Some come because they've wanted to be doctors for as long as they can remember, practicing their skills at home on family members, dolls and even pets. Some come because their parents want them to try something completely different—to discover something they won't necessarily encounter in school. Some come simply because they love learning for the sake of learning.

Some campers come with experiences that have already taught them more about certain areas of healthcare and medical science than many adults will ever know. They've been patients in hospitals. They've learned to manage a health condition. They've spent time learning about their own bodies because they had to.

These kids aren't just curious. They're incredibly brave and resilient. And they bring something truly special to Medics Camp: a willingness to share what they know and what they've experienced with other kids.

What happens next is one of our favourite Medics Camp moments: other campers listen. They ask questions. They show curiosity. They respond with compassion and respect.

For a little while, they're not defined by diagnoses, hospital visits, or anything that makes their experience different from someone else's.

They're just kids who are fascinated by the human body, health, medical science and STEM—learning together, sharing what they know, and having fun.

The learning doesn't stop with the campers. Our team of teens and young adults, many of whom are exploring healthcare careers themselves, become students too. When a camper needs additional support, our team takes the time to learn about their condition, understand the signs and symptoms to watch for, and learn how to best support someone living with it.

We typically welcome two or three campers with these kinds of experiences each summer. This year, we welcomed more than six. Fortunately, they weren't all at the same time or the same location!

That's one of the things we love most about Medics Camp. Kids come to us with different interests, different experiences and different ways of seeing the world. But when they find something they have in common, those differences can become an opportunity to learn from one another.

At Medics Camp, everyone has something to teach—and everyone has something to learn.