More than 50 medical students made quite an impression Friday on nearly 600 children at a public school in Chicago’s South Side during a special health and wellness event held in conjunction with the 2014 AMA Annual Meeting.
During this special AMA Doctors Back to School™ event at Carson Elementary School, fourth- through eighth-grade students got hands-on experience with how to lead healthy lifestyles at activity stations led by members of the AMA Medical Student Section.
At the risky-behavior station, children learned about the dangers of smoking and were able to feel and see the damaging effects it has on lungs. At the healthy-eating station, AMA members helped the students understand what the nutritional make-up of their daily diet should be, using MyPlate guidelines as an example.
“We hope that by presenting information in interactive ways, we can encourage healthy behaviors and inspire students to pursue a career in health care,” said Julie McCaw, a fourth-year medical student at Tulane University School of Medicine.
The program also gives medical students an opportunity to develop creativity and strengthen communication skills while working in the community, McCaw said.
In addition to educating the children about healthy living, medical students also encouraged them to consider a career in medicine and explained the process for becoming a physician. The Doctors Back to School program helps physicians and medical students demonstrate that medicine is a career option for everyone, including those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
It’s an important message to send because only 9 percent of U.S. physicians are African-American, Hispanic, American Indian, Native Hawaiian or Alaskan Native, even though nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population is from these ethnic groups. Racial and ethnic health care disparities also abound.
“We hope to encourage all children to pursue their dreams and live healthier lifestyles while reminding medical student volunteers of the importance of giving back to their community,” said Jessica Deslauriers, MD, recent graduate from the University of South Florida. “The program also is a fun and creative way for medical students to teach the youth about their health and show them the joys of becoming a doctor.”
