Jachimek, Flores enjoy Perry Outreach Program
Middletown High School News ON May 16, 2012
Veronika Jachimek and Jomari Flores recently had the educational experience of their lives as they participated in the Perry Outreach Program at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
The Perry Outreach Program is a nationwide program for young women in high school who wish to pursue a career in medicine or biomedical engineering. The idea is that the program will build confidence, while recognizing the need for female doctors – especially in orthopedics. Jachimek and Flores are Middletown High School biomedical engineering students.
“It was a very fun experience,” said Jachimek, who is a junior. “I learned a lot. I learned so much about bones that I never knew before.”
After morning lectures, the girls received their scrubs went over their daily activities. They got to be in on a simulated scoliosis surgery. Scoliosis is the curvature of the spine. Then they had a chance to work on a simulated external fixator, which is a brace screwed into the outside of a fractured bone to add stability as the bone heals. From there, the girls learned three different sutures – which they were able to use on a pig leg.
“They were all such really nice people,” said Flores, a senior. “They were all very respectful of us.”
That afternoon, they were able to simulate surgeries to an elbow, the construction of a knee and use a surgical support bar. Both said doing the hands-on activities was the favorite part of their day.
Flores will be attending Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, leaning toward a career in psychology or pediatrics. Jachimek plans to attend Syracuse, Yale, New York University or the University of Poland. Her choice of study is down to biomedical engineering, radiology or anesthesiologist.
Here are some photos from their day:
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