Little Medical School (LMS) is deeply rooted in founder Dr. Mary Mason’s love of family, medicine and education. In 1998, Mason wrote her first lesson plan and enlisted her medical residents to teach local teenagers. This passion for encouraging careers in health care culminated in the creation of LMS in 2010. Today, it is a pioneer and leading developer of specialized curriculum and interactive resources for children ages 1-14.
LMS of Tampa Bay works with educators, healthcare leaders and community organizations to inspire healthy lifestyles in children as they learn about medical careers.
LMS-trained instructors are also community members. These individuals range from aspiring world changers, practicing medical providers and accomplished educators. All programs were written by a board-certified educator and reviewed by board-certified and trained health care professionals.
Kristina Helton, owner of LMS of Tampa Bay, will be bringing the LMS Summer Camp to the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association.
“This summer, we are offering our Little Doctor School program at Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association from June 17-21. Students in grades K-5 will have the opportunity to assume the role of a doctor,” Helton said. “Camp participants will role-play the key responsibilities of a doctor and learn about vital organs in the human body. These future doctors will learn how to use a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and reflex hammer. They will practice administering first aid, learn how pharmacists play a role in administering medications and create models of parts of the body to learn how they work.”
Campers receive daily activities and products to keep and practice with at home. At the end of the week, families are invited to attend a ceremony where the campers will ‘graduate’ with their own student lab coat, a real working stethoscope and a diploma.
“We are super excited to have the Little Medical School Summer Camp at Center Place this summer,” said Center Place’s executive director, Libby Hopkins. “We feel it’s something new and different to offer at Center Place in addition to our summer art camps.”
Helton hopes the parents will want to enroll their children in her camp.
“We’ve had such a positive response to our programs,” Helton said. “They are unlike anything else offered in our area. Kids can’t wait to take more classes. We hope that campers are inspired to continue learning about careers in medicine and the importance of healthy lifestyles.”
If you would like to learn more about Little Medical School of Tampa Bay, visit https://littlemedicalschool.com/tampabay/. If you’d like to register your child for LMS Summer Camp, visit www.littlemedicalschool.com/tampabay/center-place-fine-arts-camp/. The camp costs $250.
The Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association is located at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Ste. B, inside the Brandon Regional Library.
