The high school students were there as part of the school's Health Occupations program, which offers interested students a head start in the health field. The program includes lots of hands-on instruction as well as textbooks and lectures on anatomy, medical terminology and safety procedures.

"We want to give them a passion for something they'll go on and pursue, to give them something to go for," said program coordinator Shawn Char.

Students learn basic skills such as how to take a temperature or measure height, weight, body mass index and body fat, and how to test vision. They become certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and learn how to use an automatic defibrillator. In addition to classwork, students are expected to complete 96 hours of volunteer work a year.

After such training, the six-week licensing course to become a certified nursing assistant should seem like review, Char said. The program also helps prepare students for college work.

Because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which protects patient privacy, students have limited opportunity to shadow doctors and other health professionals, but they can still get real-world experience through internships and field work. Some have volunteered in dental offices, with athletic trainers, for the Waimanalo Health Center or the blood bank.

Shayla-Mae Pamatigan, who volunteered at a geriatric home, said the experience helped her decide she would like to work with elderly people.

The class also takes at least one field trip a month, to help "see more about the different fields that we can go into," said student Hokulani Serrano.

That's what brought some of Char's students to the Teddy Bear Clinic last week. Along with hands-on experience, the clinic helped students judge whether they want to work with young children, Char said.