Bedford Middle School Camp (rising 6th, 7th and 8th graders)

Health Career Camp

Centra partners with a variety of local schools and programs to offer opportunities for additional exposure and learning for those interested in pursuing the field of healthcare. Summer health career camps are offered through the hospital systems in Lynchburg as well as the satellite locations, Bedford Memorial Hospital and Southside Community Hospital. The camps provide fun, hands-on interactive learning with hopes of fostering a passion for healthcare. Campers have the opportunity to meet Centra caregivers while exploring the vast number of healthcare careers available for them to pursue.

Centra Health Career Camp Details

Centra’s Summer Health Career Camps provides multi-day, robust hands-on activities and observational experiences for middle and high school aged students interested in exploring the exciting world of health care careers. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning with Centra staff throughout various Centra facilities.

Some possible topics that may be covered during the camp sessions are listed below and will differ slightly depending on the location and age group of the campers. Lynchburg and Farmville host camps for middle school and high school, whereas Bedford currently hosts middle school only. By the end of the camp, we hope students will have a broader understanding of the career opportunities available to them and the pathways they can take to enter these exciting and fast-growing careers!

Health Career Camp topics include:

• Community Health
• Infection Prevention
• Family and Friends CPR
• Medical Laboratory and Pathology
• Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy
• Radiology
• Simulation of Patient Experience
• Nursing

Centra Health Career Camp requirements:

• Students must have a genuine interest in a career within healthcare.
• For the duration of the camp, students must have reliable transportation to and from the facilities every day.
• Students must complete and submit the application found on this webpage by the deadline listed below. Applications without the required essay will not be accepted, as the essay is one of the determining factors for acceptance into the camp.
• The camp fee is $35.00 (cash or check). Checks can be made payable to Centra Health, Inc. Payment is due once your student has been accepted into the camp, and all required onboarding paperwork has been submitted by the provided deadline. After onboarding materials are collected, we are unable to offer refunds if a camper is unable to attend, as supplies and materials must be purchased in advance to prepare for the camp experience.
• Proof of a current Tuberculin Skin Test may be required for certain camps. Upon acceptance into the camp, additional onboarding requirements will be outlined.

Cost

A $35.00 camp fee covers the cost of one T-shirt, lunches, light breakfast snacks and supplies for the camp for one camper.

Location

Camps are hosted every year at each of our three main hospital campuses- Lynchburg, Bedford, and Farmville. Exact locations for each camp day will be provided in a detailed schedule closer to the start date. The locations may include the following: Lynchburg General Hospital, Bedford Memorial Hospital, Southside Community Hospital, Centra College and Simulation Center, Alan B. Pearson Cancer Center and Susie G. Gibson Science & Technology Center.

Dress code

Students are required to wear the Health Career Camp T-shirt (provided), clean and presentable pants or capris, and clean, comfortable closed-toe shoes (no sandals or open-toed shoes for safety reasons). Campers with long hair should have their hair pulled back. Please do not wear perfume or cologne due to allergy concerns.

Acceptance Notification

The student will be notified of their acceptance into the camp via email by a Centra staff member. At this time, the required onboarding paperwork and requirements will be sent for the student to begin working on. If the student does not receive acceptance into the camp, they will be placed on a waiting list and will be notified if an open spot has been made available.

Camp availability and capacity will depend on the camp location. Priority for applications are given to students who are local to the Centra service areas.2026 Centra Health Career Camp Application – Fill out form

Applications are due Tuesday, May 12, 2026, by 5:00 PM.

Students are not eligible to attend more than one camp location, and due to limited availability, students who have previously attended a Centra Health Career Camp within the same school bracket (Middle School or High School) are not eligible to reapply. However, students may attend a Middle School camp and apply for a High School camp in a subsequent year.