The University of Wisconsin-Platteville recently hosted nearly 100 high school students from across the tri-state area for Medical Exploration Day. The event focused on prospective students interested in becoming health care professionals. Students toured Boebel Hall and the Cadaver Lab, along with learning about potential careers.
“It went fabulously,” said Dr. Amanda Trewin, biology department chair and professor. “I enjoyed the high energy and seeing so many students on campus learning about UW-Platteville.”
The visit included students who have applied to UW-Platteville and showed interest in the areas of biology and pre-health. Throughout the day, students attended mini sessions where they conducted activities showcasing different areas of the medical field.
“In a session on nursing, students learned what blood pressure values mean and how to take it,” said Trewin. “In a session on biotechnology, students were doing origami to represent protein folding and how if you misfolded it, you didn’t get the same result, and that protein may or may not function at all. Basically, this was an activity that helped participants to understand the relationship between form and function.”
The visit also highlighted the areas of physical therapy, chiropractic, physician assistant and medical doctor. Trewin expressed the importance of students being exposed to the pre-professional programs offered through the biology department.
“It’s important for students to see what options are available here,” she said. “Students raised in rural areas are more likely to continue their education in rural areas, and then practice in rural areas. If all of those steps happen in the tri-state region, those students are likely to stay and continue to practice here.”
Trewin hopes the students who attended Medical Exploration Day not only see themselves as future Pioneers, but also as future health care professionals.
“[Students] could see there are multiple options,” said Trewin. “Studying to become a doctor or a nurse are wonderful opportunities; we definitely included that in our options that were available. [However] students could see all these other opportunities and how all these health care professionals work together to help their patients. It’s not just one career, it’s a host of careers.”