BALTIMORE — Morgan State University's Anatomy Academy for Careers in Healthcare is giving high school students hands-on instruction to help them get ahead in the medical field.
Healthcare careers still face a shortage and underrepresentation of minority health professionals across the nation. Representation is important for patients who are seeking treatment.
"So a patient that is not sure if their practitioner sees them will not have the level of follow-through and benefit from their healthcare," Dr. Margaret Alston said.
Morgan State University's Anatomy Academy prepares Baltimore high school students for healthcare careers
Dr. Alston created the Anatomy Academy for Careers in Healthcare to provide high-achieving Baltimore area high school students with a hands-on introduction to anatomy, physiology and various other medical pathways.
"Before some students even knew it they had disqualified themselves even as young undergraduates so I knew like no no no no no we can do better unfortunately some students they have the aptitude, but they're under exposed," Alston said.
The free program is 10 days long and all of the students in the program have an interest in healthcare, including Nandini Saxena, who wants to study radiology.
Tuesday, the students dissected pig hearts to learn more about how the human heart works.
"Coming here and seeing the heart and kind of getting used to these things is very helpful and it was like eye-opening to see what things I'm interested in and it helped refine my future career goal," Saxena said.
Saxena said the program helps her prepare for the field before she even chooses a university.
"There are more kids who actually want to pursue and are already so involved in their future at such a young age so I think this academy helps bring together so many kids like that," Saxena said.
Reanna Pickering, a current Morgan State student studying physical therapy under Alston, said she wishes this type of program was available when she was in high school.
"A lot of people are not granted this I know a lot of people did apply to get into this so for them to even be able to have done this. It does mean a lot and they've learned a lot. They're very smart all of them," Pickering said.
Alston said it is important for students to get this type of exposure early. After three years of the Anatomy Academy, she is hoping to invite even more students in the future.
"If we start here and now with high school students to get their feet down in a state of the our facility, have fun doing it learn a lot. They can't help but go forward and be much more successful at the undergraduate level from day one," Alston said.
The final day of the academy is Thursday.
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