Durham middle schoolers get jump start in health care career

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- An excited bunch of Durham middle schoolers got a jump start on a future career in health care.

There was a signing day celebration at Duke staged with all the fanfare you'd see for student athletes as parents and families cheered on the 8th graders.

The students signed their commitment to attend the new Durham Early College of Health Sciences in the fall.

Duke says nearly 100 students have accepted a spot in the first class, including Jasmine Morris who wants to become a pediatrician.

"I'm really excited, because my grandmother, she was a nurse here a rn so, she definitely inspired me to do something in the medical field," she said.

The early college is a partnership between Duke Health, Durham Tech, and Durham Public Schools to prepare students for careers in the medical field.