I had so much fun at the Georgetown Summer Medical Program! It felt amazing being in a room full of teenagers who shared the same passion as me! Each day we did something different. We even got lectures from college professors. I really enjoyed the cadaver lab. I thought that I’d be afraid to see dead bodies, but the medical students who volunteered made me feel really relaxed. Each station had a different part of the body that was the main focus (joints, brain, spinal cord). I also really enjoyed the suture lab where we got to stitch up a chicken leg. They taught us three different techniques on how to suture. I was really surprised that I was able to do it so well. 

I would definitely recommend this program to other students who are interested in the medical field because it wasn’t just about being a doctor. There are so many other jobs in the medical field that are sometimes overshadowed. I really liked that this program showed us many different jobs. For example, we received training on how to properly secure somebody on a scoop stretcher before putting them on the stretcher. We also visited a hospital where we learned how to take blood and check blood pressure. Before this program, I was 100% sure that I wanted to be a pediatrician. After the simulation lab where we were put in a room with a fake patient who had been in a “car accident,” I realized that I would rather work in the emergency room. To any other students attending this program, I recommend asking a lot of questions and making friends with the medical students. The photo below shows one of the x-rays that we looked at during the program. This one stood out to me because there was a knife stuck in the patient.

I am most excited about being in an actual classroom, and learning from the professors.  However, I am nervous that I will feel overwhelmed with the advanced topics that we’ll be discussing in the classes.  My teachers constantly remind us that college professors are much harder. The only thing I can do is try my best and stay focused during the classes.  I am also excited about living on a college campus. This will prepare me for college after I graduate high school.  My goals are to ask the medical school students about their experience at the school, and what steps I need to take in order to be ready for college and medical school.  My other goal is to participate as much as I can in the projects we do, such as the patient simulators.  I tend to be shy and keep my opinions to myself around people I am meeting for the first time. I plan on overcoming my shyness by making friends.

Thank you for helping me explore my passion at the Georgetown Medical Summer Program. I am very grateful for your kindness and generosity. Your donations will allow me to truly experience what it feels like to attend a medical school. Thank you for your support.