Bone-A-Fide Fun!!
The Perry Initiative partners with medical centers, universities, and high schools to host Perry Outreach Programs for young women in high school. Participants have the opportunity to perform mock orthopedic surgeries, and meet prominent women in the the fields of engineering and orthopedic surgery. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the Perry Initiative Program hosted by the University of Delaware on September 14th, 2019. The program proved to be every bit as rewarding as I expected!
The Perry Initiative introduces girls to an entirely new world of possibilities and opportunities. It provides a taste of what it means to be an engineer or an orthopedic surgeon.
Although I have yet to learn a lot more about engineering, I always recognized the importance of STEM to many professions. However, I definitely did not appreciate how engineering influenced/contributed to the biomedical field. The Perry Initiative demonstrated how exactly doctors work with engineers to deliver the best quality of healthcare to patients...I was introduced to an entirely new facet of health care and engineering through this program.
I never thought that surgery would also involve working with oscillating drills, screws, metal plates, hammers and wrenches; things that till now I only associated with machinery and hardware. I never thought about how doctors actually screw the metal plates on the bone to hold it together, or how they insert a rod for stabilization. Now, I can actually understand why an operation is sometimes necessary to heal broken bones.
The Perry Initiative proved to be fun! There are not many places where you are actually encouraged to break some bones (fake ones!) and then you get to simply put them back together! After Professor Buckley's orientation on the Perry Initiative, Dr. Sommer Hammoud walked us through some nuances of orthopedic surgery and her experiences in sports medicine, after which we proceeded to conduct some mock surgeries. One of my favorite activities was when we made arm casts for our partners and even signed them like they were actual casts. I also stitched up a chicken leg! Given that I have never held raw meat before, getting myself around to holding the raw chicken leg was probably my greater accomplishment!
Following lunch, Professor Buckley and Dr. Reed explained the confluence of engineering and medicine in orthopedics. I was especially intrigued by an example which illustrated how engineering not only contributed to actual field surgeries, but also played an impactful role in medical training - CPR suits made by engineers enabled nursing students to conduct CPR on live actors without causing injury.
The Perry Initiative granted exposure and allowed me to truly comprehend additional facets and complexities of the diverse field of healthcare. I would like to continue my quest to develop a holistic understanding of the variables at play and I believe that the guidance received through exposure at the Perry Initiative will prove invaluable. I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the Perry Initiative and would like to express my appreciation to all the mentors and volunteers at the Perry Initiative!
