Alumni Ben Philipson (Nivo 2006) and Samantha Silverman (Nivo 2011) have gained a new perspective on camp – and it comes with a great view of the sports fields. Ben and Sam were part of the infirmary staff this summer, Ben working as an intern and Sam as assistant head nurse.
Ben, a fourth year student in the MD-PhD medical scientist training program at Penn, spent a week in camp observing pediatrics in an outpatient setting. A former Rosh Radio and Rosh Boating, Ben remarked, “this was the first time I was in a non-activity-related part of camp. I never knew what a cohesive team the marp staff is and to what degree it functions to support the camp population.”
Working in the marp is not new for Samantha, a senior studying nursing at the University of Pittsburgh, who was in camp last summer as a student nurse. “I never was in the marp as a camper, so I didn’t really have an appreciation of what the infirmary staff does. Now I recognize the tremendous work of the camp doctors, nurses and administrator.”
So how does it feel to return to Ramah? “It has been so great to come back to this place that I love and practice my professional skills in the camp setting” said Sam. “This has been an amazing learning opportunity for me and a great chance to network with the medical professionals on staff.” Ben added, “I hope to one day return to camp as a member of the marp staff and give back to a place that’s given me so much.”
