When he grows up, Chrisitian P. wants to be a surgeon and save lives.
“I love helping people. It just feels like I’m a hero,” he said.
Dressed in blue scrubs, the fifth-grader at Bucker Terrace Montessori attended the school’s first Medical Explorers Day.
“Today, I learned that sometimes music can help people in therapy,” Christian said.
Medical Explorers Day was the brainchild of Natasha McLaurin, a counselor at Bucker Terrace, who wanted to give young kids the opportunity to explore careers in STEM, especially since students often tell her they want to become a doctor, nurse, or EMT.
“Being that kids are more kinesthetic and auditory at our school, I wanted to bring a combination of those two learning styles,” she said. “This means a lot to me because I’m seeing smiles on the kids’ faces and for me that makes all of the organizing and planning worth it.”
For Medical Explorer’s Day, which was made possible through a collaboration with Children’s Health, the school’s gym transformed into medical stations to showcase the diverse possibilities in the medical field – including professions in fields like phlebotomy, radiology, respiratory, pediatrics, nursing, and music therapy.
Students were able to learn the basics of CPR, perform an X-ray scan on plastic fruits, and listen to a heartbeat using a stethoscope. They also had the opportunity to engage with professionals, learn about their roles, and participate in activities that provide a glimpse into the world of healthcare.
For McLaurin, it was also a chance for students to meet a diverse group of medical professionals from their community.
“It’s important they can see that medical careers in STEM are possible, that there are people who currently look like them in those careers and learn from them,” she said.
Stormee Williams, vice president and chief equity officer at Children’s Health, said events like Medical Explorers Day help promote strong relationships between medical professionals and the community they serve.
“We know when people have healthcare providers who look like them and come from their community, they’re more likely to have trusting relationships with them and become healthier,” she said.
Christian, whose favorite stations were radiation and musical therapy, said it was inspiring to meet the diverse group of medical professionals.
“Seeing people with the same background as me was great because I can relate to them and have a successful career – just like them,” he said.
