On May 8, 12 sixth-grade students from City of Promise visited UVA Health for a day of hands-on learning and career exploration. City of Promise is a Charlottesville organization committed to eliminating generational poverty through coaching, mentoring, tutoring, and goal-setting for underserved children in the community. As part of their “Tour of the Town” each year, the students visit various local institutions to learn about potential career options for the future.
Residents from the Housestaff Council for Diversity and Inclusion (HCDI) and faculty from the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee organized the event. Volunteers from the Departments of Anesthesiology, Surgery, and Family Medicine, as well as Perioperative Services, all contributed to the day’s success.
The students enjoyed spending the first part of the day in the Medical School Simulation Center, learning how to intubate, prepare patients for surgery, and use the ultrasound machine to identify organs. The students then toured the perioperative surgical home, interacting with the multi-disciplinary OR staff, learning about what it means to be an OR nurse and practicing “gowning up” for sterile procedures. They finished the day with a visit to the Family Medicine clinic, learning about outpatient healthcare roles and primary care.
In addition to the volunteers and departments mentioned above, HCDI would like to thank the Graduate Medical Education Office and the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement for their support and funding, the City of Promise volunteers for driving and chaperoning, and Holly Atkinson for taking photos.
Filed Under: Community, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Education