La Crescent-Hokah students get up close look at the body during Science of Medicine Day

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La Crescent-Hokah students get up close look at the body during Science of Medicine Day

Third and fourth graders at La Crescent-Hokah Elementary School got the opportunity on Oct. 16 to learn a little about their bodies and how they work during the Science of Medicine Day program, an initiative of the Wisconsin Science Festival, which this year was celebrated Oct. 14-20.

A team of healthcare professionals from Bellin and Gundersen Health System, St. Clare Health Mission, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance, and Gundersen medical students from UW-Madison led quick 20-minute lessons for students in areas like human anatomy, germs, vaccinations and shots, the sounds of medicine, and x-rays and casting.

That morning, the students cycled through the various stations, which provided hands-on learning opportunities that organizers hope get the kids interested in the medical field.

"We're recruiting. We're recruiting future doctors, future nurses, future healthcare workers," says Robyn Borge, MD, medical vice president at Bellin and Gundersen Health System. "And we're trying to inspire some of these kids to consider fields in medicine."

But even if medical field won't become the students' chosen career path, Borge said the program will help them in their everyday interaction with healthcare. They may potentially be more comfortable when going to a doctor appointment, or they may better understand why they receive the vaccinations they do.

"We do hope to build trust and provide some basic knowledge that may help kids be more comfortable at clinic visits," Borge says.

For Jeff Copp, the principal at La Crescent-Hokah Elementary, the program lined up perfectly with curricular standards the school has in place.

"Our third- and fourth-grade teachers are passionate, and this summer, they worked on aligning our instruction with the Next Generation Science Standards, and this activity was a natural fit," Copp says. "We have world-class medical facilities and professionals just a few miles away, so it was a no-brainer to bring in their expertise, resources and technology to help our students learn about medical science, anatomy and medical technology."

It's these collaborative efforts in the schools that fourth-year Gundersen medical student Shanaya Hebgen enjoys most about science day. It was her second year participating in the program, and this year, she and three fellow med students taught an anatomy lesson - complete with real human organs.

"I love the community engagement, getting kids excited about science, excited about health, and kind of introducing it at a young age so they understand," Hebgen says. "Like when we talked about smoking and how that affects the lungs, and having them be able to see it and seeing the excitement on their faces is super fun."

Hebgen wants to go into family medicine, so opportunities like this to teach are a good way for her to practice how to talk to people about certain things that need an explanation.

"It also helps me be able to engage with the community and be able to give back and be involved in more ways than just seeing them in the clinic," she says.

Being able to experience the sights, sounds and feel of healthcare goes a long way in terms of student comprehension, Copp said. That special interaction sticks in their minds.

"Our students learn each and every day, and the things they will remember most are how they felt when they were learning," he says. "I guarantee our students will remember these lessons because of how engaging they were."

Copp hopes the students learned more about themselves and others that day and how important it is to develop healthy habits as young people. He was grateful that Gundersen was able to lend its support in that mission.

"Welcoming Gundersen's day of medicine into our building is a great example of the power of community partnerships and connecting our students to the amazing things they can learn right in our own community," he says.

It's a program Gundersen believes in and enjoys providing for the communities it serves.

"We have more fun than the kids do," Borge says. "We look forward to this every year."