This year SOAR has been blessed by some fun and interactive visits from multiple University of Minnesota Medical Students. Through the year these students have brought interactive activities to Banyan youth as a mode of career exploration. During one visit the youth got down and dirty with plaster. They placed arm casts on each other learning about bone and joint structure. It was a messy afternoon full of laughter. During another visit the medical students lead a lab on sterilization. Instead of getting dirty, youth worked to get their hands as clean as possible, up to surgical grade. This was no easy task!
Last month youth learned about all the different kinds of surgery from plastic surgery to ophthalmologic surgery. Every surgery requires many different people to operate. Youth discussed these jobs, what types of education would be required for each, and where that education could be completed. For example:
| Occupation | Education |
|---|---|
| Sterile Processing Technician | Certification |
| Surgical Technologist | Certification |
| Medical-Surgical Nurse | Bachelor of Science in Nursing and an additional Certification |
| Surgeon | Doctoral degree |
| Anesthesiologists | Doctoral degree |
We are grateful for the time and ideas that the medical students have shared. Hopefully these visits, helped to spark an idea as Banyan youth consider their future career paths.
