CHARLOTTE -- They may be a little young for medical school, but future doctors and nurses, along with their parents, are getting a closer look at medical careers at the Health Care Conference.

Ann Staples, of the N.C. chapter for the Society of Health Education, said the conference is meant as a chance to talk to students and parents about opportunities in health education.

"Today we talked a little bit about bones and muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and how to keep ourselves healthy and keep our bodies moving," Ashley Omspach, of Discovery Place, said.

Bo Friday, one of the students who participated in the conference, said he plans to focus on medicine when he enters UNC Pembroke in the fall.

"I want to be a dentist," Friday said. "That's my goal."

Friday made his decision after taking part in a free program called Health Education, Reaching Out To Excellent Students, or HEROES.

"It's about reaching out to students who are interested in health careers and getting them educated in the health careers and how to take classes for high school and get into college," Friday said.

And that's good news to the health care industry, which is facing a shortage of professionals.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. medical schools have been graduating 15,000 to 16,000 doctors a year since 1980. But census data shows the American population has increased 24 percent.

The event was sponsored by the Center for Health and Healing's Minority Health Careers Initiative, in partnership with the Charlotte Area Health Education Center.

Classes are held year-round for both students and adults interested in the health care industry.