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10/31/17
Too often, students learn about the wonders of science and medicine by reading textbooks rather than getting hands-on experiences that pique their curiosity and intellect. In an effort to spark student interest in science and medicine careers, local universities, healthcare organizations, private companies, and research centers in and around the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center hosted lab tours and interactive activities for student as part of the seventh annual Frontiers in Science and Medicine Day on Friday, October 27th.
More than 500 students from Kingsview Middle School and John Poole Middle School participated in science and medicine activities at the Universities at Shady Grove. The on-site activities were conducted by students enrolled in the University of Maryland School of Nursing, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and Salisbury University Exercise Science program.
The School of Nursing activities included using a UV light to demonstrate proper hand washing, discovering how much sugar is in popular beverages, and interactive health simulations on a life-like mannequin called a Sim-Man. The School of Pharmacy activities included learning how to set-up a medicine IV bag, diagnosing a Sim-Man patient and using the Script-Pro robot to administer prescriptions, and creating pill capsules with a mortar and pestle. The Exercise Science activties included blood pressure testing and balance exercises. In addition to the real-world activities, students had the opportunity to spend time in local laboratories; experiencing first-hand what scientists do each day.
“It is inspiring to see students learning from these hands-on experiences in science and medicine. It is exciting to know that the interest generated by this day will grow into the pursuit of further education and help energize our community’s next generation of science and healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Stewart Edelstein, Executive Director, Universities at Shady Grove.
Click here to view photographs of the event.
