Forty young women from 16 area high schools arrived at the Sorrell Center on Nov. 7 to attend the second annual Perry Outreach Program, a signature event of The Perry Initiative.
Volunteers
Other volunteers who joined Dr. Scherl at the event included:
- Maegen Wallace, M.D., pediatric orthopaedic surgeon, UNMC
- Annie Knierim, M.D., trauma surgeon, CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center
- Courtney Grimsrud, M.D., house officer IV, UNMC
- Chelsea Bruening, trauma physician assistant, Nebraska Medicine
- Michelle Craig, pediatric physician assistant, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
- Bridget Burke, pediatric physician assistant, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
- Raheleh Miralami, Ph.D. candidate, medical sciences interdepartmental area (MSIA)/graduate studies, UNMC
The Perry Initiative, founded in 2009, was named in honor of Jacquelin Perry, M.D., one of the first female orthopaedic surgeons in the country, who served as a mentor to many women and men throughout her 60-year career. The program offers a chance for high school women to learn more about pursuing a career in orthopaedics, as well as the opportunity to meet and learn from respected female orthopaedic surgeons and engineers.
The daylong outreach event featured interactive workshops where students performed several surgical simulations, including a spinal fusion to correct scoliosis, fixing a broken mid-shaft tibia or femur fracture and reconstructing knee ligaments.
While the program is primarily educational, students also get to have a little fun, said Susan Scherl, M.D., pediatric orthopaedic surgeon at UNMC. Dr. Scherl served as an organizer and volunteer for the event.
“Because the program is so hands-on, I think it gives the students a real sense of the kinds of things we do all day,” Dr. Scherl said. “It shows how broad the field of orthopaedics is, and that even though it can be challenging, it’s also a lot of fun.”
In addition to the mock surgeries, the participants attended talks throughout the day from notable Omaha-area women in orthopaedics.
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Participants in the event display their certificates outside the Sorrell Center. |
“I cannot think of any requirement that engineering or medical majors need that women are not capable of providing in the highest quality,” said Raheleh Miralami, a Ph.D. student at UNMC who gave a talk about her experience being a woman in the engineering field. “The most important thing is the interest. If a young woman likes an area and has a passion for it, that’s a good start.”
Her main piece of advice was echoed by every volunteer throughout the day: “Believe in yourself and move forward; if you think you can do it, you can.”
For many of the volunteers, the Perry Outreach Program is a unique chance to share their passion for orthopaedics with young women interested in the field.
“I hope the students left with a sense of accomplishment and also open to considering a career in orthopaedics or engineering,” Dr. Scherl said.