A group of 18 undergraduate and graduate students recently engaged in a full-day learning experience at the Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation featuring a mix of group discussions, medical training, and networking.
The group comprised students from the nonprofit organization Minorities in Medicine who are interested in a career in clinical medicine. Many participants were first-generation college students and came from four universities across Connecticut and New York.
“You spend so much time preparing and planning every detail of getting everyone there, and once the dust settles, you hear from the students, and you see it in their eyes how much the exposure means to them,” stated Waverly Rose Brim, founder and CEO of Minorities in Medicine.
Tatiana Moylan, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine and a Minorities in Medicine community partner, led the day’s activities.
The day began with a breakfast discussion about artificial intelligence (AI) and humanity in medicine, followed by a crash course on emergency medicine and a presentation on career paths of attending physicians.
Next, the students took notes during hands-on clinical workshops covering suturing, knot-tying, intubation, and chest tube placement. Finally, they had the opportunity to participate in a lifesaving simulation scenario and physician-patient role-playing exercise that ended with a critical debrief component.
This day-long learning experience is a prime example of the organization’s mission in practice and participants often ask to return for another session.
“Over the last three years, YCHS has consistently fostered a safe environment for the students to learn and grow. I can trust that when we bring a cohort of students, they will leave feeling seen,” stated Brim.
Minorities in Medicine is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2014 with the goal of fostering a culturally competent medical workforce. The organization supports mentorship and educational initiatives for socially underrepresented and economically disadvantaged pre-health students, professional school students, and established healthcare professionals.