UICOMP’s Manual High School Science Enrichment Program is opening doors for future healthcare professionals.
By Jim Burwitz
In 2002, Folabo Dare was a Peoria Manual High School student with a serious interest in science. Of course, college was part of her future plans, but Folabo was looking beyond the next step. “I’ve always been interested in a career in medicine,” she says.
During those high school days she was hoping to find out what life as a medical student might be like. As luck would have it, UICOMP and Peoria Manual were putting the finishing touches on a new program that would engage young students just like Folabo.
Hands-On Learning
The seven-week Manual High School Science Enrichment sessions were developed in 2002 through Peoria’s Adopt-A-School program. Each week, starting in February, a select group of Manual students come to UICOMP to participate in hands-on projects involving first aid, pathology, dissection, hematology, surgery, and emergency medicine.
“I was in the program for two years, and both were a tremendous learning experience,” says Folabo, now a senior at Bradley University. “We learned about the anatomy of the human body, the musculoskeletal system, and the cardiovascular system, in addition to learning how to use a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer. We also learned how to test the knee jerk reflex, how to suture a wound, and so much more.”
The participants range in age from 14 to 18 and have access to the resources of the medical school. The program is entirely designed and managed by a small group of dedicated UICOMP students. Staff members from Peoria Manual High School work closely with the project coordinators throughout the semester.
“This is a real opportunity for our students,” says Connie Cassidy, who teaches biology and human anatomy and physiology at Peoria Manual. “The medical students reinforce some of the important lessons we’re trying to teach in the high school classroom.”
Those lessons include accountability, which is an essential part of the Manual Enrichment program. Each of the 30 to 45 participants must maintain a series of academic and behavioral standards. Despite the qualifications and restrictions, the interactive sessions have become extremely popular. As a result, Connie Cassidy and other Manual faculty members have observed changes in attitudes and performances by students who wish to be considered for future sessions, not to mention the spring field trip to the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine’s anatomy labs.
Support & Service
The Manual Enrichment Program is made possible through funding from local organizations and community partners, such as Peoria NEXT. Individual donors have given generous gifts as well.
As the project enters its seventh semester, the long-term benefit of increasing the number of minorities and under-privileged groups in medicine becomes clear. The exposure that UICOMP’s medical students provide gives the high school participants a measurable advantage as they enter the next phases of their academic careers. In addition, the volunteer medical students receive valuable service-learning and learn-by-teaching opportunities. It is truly a win-win situation.
“The medical students serve a valuable purpose by exposing our students to adults who are closer in age to them and who stress the value of an education,” Connie explains. “It is good for our students to see a correlation between what they learn in high school and what the medical students are telling them is important. The medical students serve as positive role models for our students.”
For former Manual student Folabo Dare, the experience served as an important educational and professional foundation, as she is hoping to attend medical school after graduating from Bradley. “I just want to thank Manual and UICOMP for giving me the opportunity to participate, and I would counsel any student considering this program to go for it,” she begins. “The medical students are nothing but kind and gracious. For those Manual students who are interested in careers in medicine or biology, this program is a wonderful opportunity to learn more and get some idea of whether this is the career path you truly want to follow.”
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