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Practicing Medicine: High School Health Pupils Go Hands-on With Patients at Kaiser

Posted on: Thursday, 15 June 2006, 15:00 CDT

By Ralph Montano, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

Jun. 15--Breanna Foley and Amanda Lane spent a couple of hours last week being doctors in the Arden Arcade area.

They donned white medical coats and dangled stethoscopes around their necks. They visited patients and helped check their vital signs.

The freshmen at Sacramento's Health Professions High School in Upper Land Park said their experience at Kaiser Permanente's Sacramento Medical Center on Morse Avenue and Alta Arden Expressway was rewarding.

"It was way more hands-on than I expected," said Lane, a midtown Sacramento resident.

For two hours, the girls accompanied Dr. Elisabeth Mathew, a head and neck surgeon, as she met with patients and discussed procedures. Foley said she came away with an unexpected lesson.

"I realized how important the doctor-to-patient relationship is," said Foley, a Greenhaven-Pocket-area resident. "The doctor really has to explain things and break it down into terms that people can understand."

It was the first time students from the 2-year-old school were allowed to shadow health professionals as they went about their work, school officials said. Previous outings have included field trips or guest speakers visiting their classroom.

"It's one thing to hear it in a classroom," teacher Deborah Meltvedt said. "Here, we split up, and it's much more interactive on a smaller basis."

Health Professions High School opened in fall 2005 with 150 freshmen. The school, which plans to open a permanent campus at its McClatchy Way site in the fall, eventually will have 500 students. Some of those on the tour last week may go on to be members of the first graduating class in 2009.

Twenty students were able to accompany nurses and other hospital employees, said Jeff Hausman, a Kaiser spokesman.

The students, who have all expressed an interest in a health care career, visited various departments, including the neonatal intensive care unit, laboratory, radiology and the pediatric diabetes center.

The visit had Stephanie Gonzales of North Highlands rethinking her career track. Going into the day, she dreamed of being a doctor and caring for children. But after accompanying nurses to the neonatal intensive care unit, she said she would consider nursing instead.

"The RNs (resident nurses) are much more hands-on, and I like that," Gonzales said.

Ruey Jein, one of the nurses on the tour, said Gonzales' reaction is not unusual. "Not one bit," Jein said. "Every time we do these tours, we hear someone say they want to be like us."

Stefanie Yoshizuka of the Pocket area said there was a lot to absorb. "It was overwhelming a little bit. The hospital is so big."

Yoshizuka said she wants to pursue a career in health care but is unsure what field.

Dr. Jack Rozance, the hospital's physician in chief, told the class of 2009 that whatever they choose to do in health care, they should do it well.

"I don't care what you do," he said. "I've just found health care to be incredibly exciting. I promise you it will not be boring. It is one of the most fulfilling things you can ever do."

The science of medicine has changed dramatically in the past 25 years and will continue to advance in the coming years, he said. Some things considered state-of-the-art today might be obsolete by the time some of these students begin their careers. But one thing will remain constant.

"You will have a wonderful opportunity to make a huge difference in people's lives," Rozance said.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Sacramento Bee

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