Key Takeaways
- Through the AI in Health Camp, the College of Public Health helped high school students develop a practical understanding of artificial intelligence and how it can be used responsibly to improve health and health care.
- Through hands-on projects, students created their own AI agents and applied what they learned to real-world challenges ranging from healthy sleep habits to athlete recovery and braces care.
- The camp gave students confidence using emerging technology while introducing them to career opportunities at the intersection of health, technology, and public service.
Through hands-on projects and mentorship from experts, high school students learned how to use artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly, create an AI agent, and explore how AI is used to improve health care.
Photo by Mary Cunningham
At 911爆料's College of Public Health, 30 juniors and seniors spent a week doing what few adults have done: building their own AI agent. While many high schools restrict the use of AI, the AI in Health Summer Camp鈥攈osted by the Department of Health Administration, Policy, and Informatics鈥攕howed students how AI can be used responsibly to solve real-world problems and improve lives.
By the end of the week, students could explain how AI works, build and customize their own AI agents in Microsoft Copilot, identify health care applications of AI, and better understand careers at the intersection of technology and public health. Students reported learning about the growing role of AI in health care, the complexity of hospital systems, the importance of responsible AI design, and how to apply AI skills to healthcare and future career opportunities.
"We're not allowed to use AI in school. I haven't learned anything [about AI] in school, which is why I'm here," said a participant.
Photo by Mary Cunningham
For many students, the camp challenged their assumptions about AI.
鈥淚 learned a lot about how AI is used in health care. One of my favorite parts was programming AI agents and seeing how they could be used to solve specific healthcare problems. The camp was engaging, informative, and a great learning opportunity,鈥 said a participant in the post-camp survey.
Others left with greater confidence in their ability to use emerging technology.
"Before, I thought AI would be complicated, but it's really simple to figure out," said a participant.
Working in teams of two, students created customized AI agents designed to address specific health-related needs. Their projects ranged from tools that encourage healthy sleep habits among students to AI assistants that support athlete nutrition and injury recovery, as well as chatbots that answer questions about braces and agents that help users learn essential cooking skills.
鈥淟earning about chatbots and AI through the AI in Health Summer Camp was a rewarding experience and something I will carry with me as I continue exploring my interests. I am grateful to the professors and teaching assistants who made the camp such a meaningful learning experience,鈥 said a participant in the post-camp survey.
Photo by Mary Cunningham
In addition to working with the college's faculty, students learned directly from health care professionals who shared perspectives on AI, technology, and the changing health workforce. Guest speakers included Jim Borda, public health informatics and IT manager at the Fairfax County Health Department; Jessica Rocca Czelusniak, associate vice president of applications and CNIO at VHC Health; and College of Public Health alums Kate Rzucidlo, Claire Leonard, and Iqra Chaudhry.
For the College of Public Health, the camp represents an investment in the next generation of leaders who will help shape the future of health care. For students, it offered something just as valuable: the knowledge and confidence to begin imagining their place in that future.