Future Doctors Summer Camp offers students hands-on medical experience

In a classroom set up like a science lab, with the distinct scent of formaldehyde and scalpels in hand, students in Dallas ISD’s Future Doctors Summer Camp prepared pig hearts for dissection.

“I want to be a pediatrician, so it doesn't really have to do with surgery, but now that I've cut into a heart, and seen all the different rooms of the heart, I think I want to do something with surgery in the future,” Ileana R., a rising junior at Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy said.

More than dissections, the camp provided an immersive look into the healthcare field including anatomy, pathology, and physiology. High school students also heard from medical professionals, gaining insights into their experiences and the paths they took as students.

A veterinarian in the making, Abigail discovered her passion for the medical field in middle school by watching “The Incredible Dr. Pol,” about a man’s journey as a vet.

"I want to be a vet but I’m studying human medicine,” Abigail said. “I thought if I can’t study animals right now, I might as well learn about humans. It gives me somewhat of a similar experience.”