PEKIN, Ill. (AP) - Students from four Tazewell County high schools have laid down their pencils for scalpels as they leave behind the frogs and worms of past biology classes to explore the human anatomy.
The program, Training Tomorrow’s Physicians Today, is sponsored by Tremont Community Unit District 702, UnityPoint Health-Pekin and the University of Illinois School of Medicine in Peoria.
Dr. Volkan Sumer, an internal medicine doctor in private practice, and Dr. Michael Honan of ProHealth Medical Group, along with medical residents from the school of medicine, are working with 22 students from Tremont, Pekin, Morton and Olympia high schools. TCUSD is providing funding, students paid $130 for the textbook and lab coat and UnityPoint provided the lab and other assistance.
The students are dissecting two cadavers: a 60-year-old woman who died of sepsis and an 80-year-old man who died of congestive heart failure. The class meets twice a week for several hours through April.
Students are intrigued with the knowledge they are gaining.
Pekin Community High School Senior Caleb Powell, 17, previously was leaning toward a career in engineering, but his time in the cadaver lab has changed that to the medical field - pediatrician or forensic pathologist. The lab has exposed Powell to a whole new world.
“I’m not 100 percent certain exactly (what area of medicine), but I’m definitely going into the medical field - there’s such a variety,” he said. “I’ve thought of both sides - forensic pathology and pediatrics. They’re complete opposites, but I know this is for me. The first day is overwhelming. You don’t really expect it and the smell is really bad, but after you get into it, it’s not really bad at all. You get used to it after a long day.”
Sumer said some high schools do not have anatomy classes, and some medical schools do not have cadaver labs where students do the dissection. They have pre-dissected cadavers the students study.
“We were looking for top-performing biology students, science-oriented students, to give them a unique opportunity to explore anatomy,” said Sumer. “So many schools do so well in engineering and mathematics, but this is a nice way to take the sciences to the next level.
Sumer said when he was in medical school, the only two students who dropped out were the ones who could not handle the dissection of cadavers.
“We haven’t had any of that here, so these students have truly been vetted and picked in such a way that they are able to handle and tolerate this class,” said Sumer. “And their maturity level - I think there’s an expectation of them and I think it has really been emphasized to them that there’s an expectation of them.
“It’s an expectation they have met. I don’t see any problems with their maturity level at all. They’ve been extremely respectful, extremely hard working and, in some of the private conversations I’ve had with the students, extremely thankful and grateful that there are people out there willing to donate their bodies so they can learn. Who knows, this may spark an interest in them some day to go out and do something incredible.”
Tremont biology teacher Meghan Bagby said maturity is a must and each student’s exposure to the medical field varies. The program gives students exposure to something they may never have experienced before, she said.
Some have dissected fetal pigs, cats, frogs and various organs from animals. This is the first human exposure. The class comes with a textbook and each student must complete an assignment for each class. The student learns the anatomy of the body to be dissected before coming to the lab.
“We think a crucial part of the success of this program is the preparation,” said Bagby. “These students … are also taking the time to do one more additional class because of their interest and wanting to better themselves for the future.”
“So, they are putting in a lot of hard work and time outside of school because they have an interest in the medical field. It’s impressive. There is no academic credit. We are of the belief that this is an immersion-type experience for the students. They are learning not only from physicians and med students and other biology teachers in the area, but they are getting a full immersion and they are exhibiting the love of learning at the high school age that hopefully will continue on into medical fields in the future.”
TCUSD 702 Superintendent Jeff Hinman said the program follows the three-year program model instituted by the McLean County Medical Society for LeRoy High School. Tremont students participated in that program previously.
“We have some spectacular schools in our area with some students that could also benefit from an experience of this nature,” said Hinman.
PCHS Senior Christy Torrey, 17, said the books she and Powell have studied in biology and anatomy in high school are nothing compared to the actual experience they are getting now. The class has firmed up her plans to enter the medical profession.
“When you come and actually see the real thing it doesn’t actually compare,” said Torrey. “It’s shocking to see, but I think if I didn’t get the exposure to it now I don’t think I would stick with the medical field. Neither of my parents went into the medical field. It’s people to look up to and to ask about literally any medical question we have.”
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Source: (Peoria) Journal Star, https://bit.ly/2mVpRJS
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Information from: Journal Star, https://pjstar.com
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