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MARQUETTE -- Twenty-three high schoolers from Indian communities across Upper Michigan are taking over the campus of NMU for a few days.

"The College Prep Medicine Wheel Academy is really designed to introduce Native youth to the idea of the health sciences," explains April Lindala of the NMU Center for Native American Studies.

So for three days, they're learning the ins and outs of medicine. 

"We're trying to show them that the health fields are more than just nursing or being a doctor," says student coordinator, Holly Berkstresser.

They've already been introduced to sports medicine and community health, and Friday they were learning alternative medicines; things like aroma therapy, acupuncture, and magnet therapy.

"My hope is that, if nothing else, we encourage them to go to college.  Actually, Native Americans have the lowest numbers in the health care fields, so that is why we're aiming towards the health fields, trying to get more involvement that way," Berkstresser says.

The event also brought a keynote speaker to town.  Annelind Wakegijic is a very accomplished Canadian doctor who practices family medicine, emergency, and geriatric care and also works as a coroner.  She says she loves the idea behind the Medicine Wheel Academy.

"A lot of informal research tells us that the earlier you can inspire a child or youth to get into a health career, the better," says Wakegijic.

I asked Felicia Reid, who's a student at the Academy, if she's thinking of getting into medicine.  "Yeah, I want to be a physical therapist or an RN," said Reid.

That's got to make organizers feel pretty good.