Program to teach Ann Arbor high school students basic medical skills marks 30 years
Turning on a gush of water and grabbing a handful of soap, Haris Sohail was among a group of Pioneer High School seniors who were learning the correct way to wash their hands this week.
And they were taking it seriously.
Ten times around the hands. Ten times between the fingers. Ten times around the wrists and rinse.
Even something as simple as proper hand-washing will be important when the students enter the medical field, Sohail said during class this week.
They are part of a collaborative program between Pioneer and Huron High School called the Health Sciences Program. The program is marking its 30th year of teaching high school students a basic understanding of different health skills to help prepare them for the rigors of studying for medical professions.
Sohail dreams of being a surgeon someday. And he plans to have a leg up when starting college next fall because of the class.
“Probably a neuro- or cardio-surgeon,” he said. “I just want to help people. You get to personally see the difference you’re making in people’s lives [in medicine]."
The classroom itself is full of donated medical equipment, including retired hospital beds, blood pressure machines, walkers, expired IV fluid and a disabled automatic external defibrillator.
The idea is to teach the students a bit about the major systems of the body, such as the skeletal system or the nervous system - and what they'll need to know as health professionals, said Cathy Malette, a registered nurse who has taught the class for five years.
For example, after learning about the skeletal system, the students learn how to safely lift and transport patients who are unable to move, Malette said.
To get in the course, students must apply during their junior year and prove a serious interest in a health-related field. Nearly all the students have done some sort of volunteering in a medical setting, and often do extra research on their own because they're extremely motivated in the subject.
Malette also incorporates human relations.
"So they're looking at it, not just as a science, but as a human interaction," she said.
That's not a problem for student Hannah Maxbauer, who said she wants to study to be a nurse.
Nurses might not get the recognition doctors receive, Maxbauer said. But when she visited the hospital for loved ones in the past, it was the nurses she saw helping patients while reassuring and explaining information to family members. That's what she envisions herself doing.
It’s really the second semester of the course that has Maxbauer and Sohail excited. They will be sent to different clinical sites around Ann Arbor to shadow medical professionals. More than 300 clinical placements have been arranged for the students to visit for two-week rotations with doctors and departments among local universities.
They're excited about clinical placements the high school will be able to arrange with volunteer mentors for them.
"No other high school could do that," Sohail said.
That’s also one of Malette’s favorite parts of the year. By then, the students know how to check a patient’s vital signs, they understand universal precautions and they are certified in first aid and CPR.
And they’ve also worked on interview and resume skills. To hear her talk, Malette almost sounds like a proud parent herself.
“When they have their lab coats on, they rise to the occasion,” Malette said. “They are so impressive.”
Tina Reed reports on health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. Contact her at tinareed@annarbor.com or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.
Comments
Dr. I. Emsayin
Sun, Sep 27, 2009 : 12:17 p.m.
What a wonderful opportunity for students! This type of program is what makes a student's experience in high school so valuable. About 15 years ago I was at the VA hospital and remember students from this program visiting. They were so mature and poised. May we always have students learning skills like this in high school so they are better prepared for jobs in the health fields. When I was in high school there were no such programs. Now a student can learn is she or he wants to be a nurse, or a PT, or an EMT before spending time and money on courses beyond high school. Congratulations to Mrs. Malette and her counterpart for keeping this program viable.
aacitizen
Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 5:18 p.m.
YAY for the Health Sciences Program! Cathy Malette is fabulous and the class is a wonderful opportunity for the students who are interested in heath science careers. My daughter completed this class and has decided to pursue nursing. The classroom information, professional speakers and the clinical rotations provide an enlightening experience for these students. THANK YOU CATHY MALETTE, AAPS and HEALTH PROFESSIONALS that make this experience possible for our high school students.