Morgan State University has launched the Anatomy Academy for Careers in Healthcare, a program designed to provide Baltimore high school students with practical training in medical fields. This initiative aims to tackle the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly among minority groups, ensuring that future patients receive culturally competent care.
Dr. Margaret Alston, the program's founder, emphasized the importance of representation in healthcare. She noted that patients are more likely to engage with practitioners who understand their backgrounds, which can enhance their overall healthcare experience. "A patient that is not sure if their practitioner sees them will not have the level of follow-through and benefit from their healthcare," Dr. Alston explained.
The Anatomy Academy offers a free, ten-day program that introduces students to anatomy, physiology, and various healthcare pathways. Many participants, like Nandini Saxena, are already aspiring to careers in fields such as radiology. During a recent session, students engaged in hands-on activities, including dissecting pig hearts to better understand human anatomy.
Saxena expressed that the program has been instrumental in refining her career goals, stating, "Coming here and seeing the heart and kind of getting used to these things is very helpful and it was like eye-opening to see what things I'm interested in." She believes the academy fosters a community of motivated peers who are serious about their futures.
Reanna Pickering, a current Morgan State student studying physical therapy under Dr. Alston, reflected on the value of the program, wishing it had been available during her own high school years. "A lot of people are not granted this opportunity, so for them to even be able to have done this means a lot," she said.
Dr. Alston is hopeful about expanding the program in the coming years to reach more students, recognizing the importance of early exposure to healthcare careers. "If we start here and now with high school students to get their feet down in a state of the art facility, have fun doing it, and learn a lot, they can't help but go forward and be much more successful at the undergraduate level from day one," she noted.
The program will conclude this Thursday, marking the end of this year's session.
Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).
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