High school students from the New York tri-state area took part in a workshop this month at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), aimed at introducing them to orthopedic surgery. The event was organized by HSS in partnership with the Perry Initiative and brought together 20 students for a day of hands-on activities and educational sessions.
The workshop was part of the Perry Outreach Program, which focuses on exposing students to careers in orthopedics, both in surgery and engineering. “The goal of our program is to introduce students to all the exciting careers in orthopedics on both the surgical and engineering sides,” said Amelia Knarr, PhD, executive director of the Perry Initiative. “Students get a real hands-on feel for the different types of procedures in orthopedics and also get to hear from successful surgeons and engineers. This benefits the students by showing them they are wanted, welcome, and capable of joining this exciting field.”
Under supervision from HSS physicians, participants practiced using tools such as drills and casts on plastic bone models. They learned how orthopedic surgeons repair broken bones, fix torn ligaments, apply casts, and suture wounds.
Jessica Heyer, MD, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at HSS who helped organize the event, explained that the activities highlighted key biomechanical principles within orthopedics. “The activities highlighted various biomechanical principles in orthopedics, demonstrating the integration of engineering in this field,” she said. “They were excited to use orthopedic tools and enjoyed casting each other and learning how to suture.”
In addition to practical exercises, students attended lectures about pursuing careers as engineers or orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Heyer noted their engagement: “The students demonstrated great enthusiasm, asking thoughtful questions.”
Lina Bernatska, a junior at Staten Island Technical School who participated in the event, shared her experience: “I learned how to use a drill today, and then we drilled a bunch of screws into different bone models. It really inspired me as a woman to want to go into these fields where women are underrepresented, and it’s so refreshing to see all these educated young women tell their stories and tell us about their journeys…to get to where they are in life.”
Another student from Staten Island Technical School, Ava Glatman, said she appreciated learning about procedures like total knee replacements and ankle repairs. She added: “I think it’s really meaningful, especially understanding that this is such an underrepresented field for women. Being able to see so many women that have succeeded in their field is really inspiring and motivates me to do something like that in the future.”
Attendees came from various high schools across New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
