The Health Corps

Teaching teens the basics of good living

The Health Corps helps developing bodies in the same way the Peace Corps helps developing nations. In this ambitious program, created by Columbia heart surgeon, Mehmet C. Oz, MD, well-trained volunteers go into the public schools to teach the basics of self-care. Classes address the importance of eating well and getting enough exercise—critical issues for a generation that is increasingly overweight and therefore more likely to develop diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic ailments. Students also learn how to be emotionally resilient and to manage stress. This fall, the Health Corps was launched in four schools—two in New York and two in New Jersey.

"Only 63 percent of our public schools have a recognized health educator," says Dr. Oz. "We're hoping this program will fill the void and grow to the national level. Our goal is to teach 10 to 18 year olds that health is much more than the absence of disease. It's a way of taking control of your life, defining your values, and having a sense of purpose."

A high school class from Cliffside Park, New Jersey recently visited the operating room at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia to watch Dr. Oz perform open-heart surgery. "We introduce young people to the wonders of the body and to careers in medicine," says Saral Mehra, an MBA and medical student who helped develop the program.

In Manhattan, the Health Corps has partnered with the Natural Gourmet School to demonstrate the importance of a healthy diet. Working with a company called Functionally Innovative Training, the Health Corps Community Coordinators have also introduced video game exercise bikes in PE class. "At the same time, we hook them up to monitors so they can see how their bodies are affected by a workout," Mehra says.