Students picking up STEAM with UNMC visit

It seemed easy enough.

Using the laparoscopic instrument, all the student had to do was lift the small brightly colored objects off of one peg and transfer it to the other.

JoAnn Robinson tries her hand at the laparoscope under the tutelage of minimally invasive surgeon, Tiffany Tanner, M.D., while Aliyah Cain, at far right, concentrates on manipulating the laparoscopic instruments.

It was harder than it looked and “a lot of fun to try,” said JoAnn Robinson.

Robinson was one of 15 girls, ranging in age from 13-17, from the Urban League of Nebraska Whitney Young Junior STEAM (science, technology, engineering, agriculture, mathematics) Academy, who spent June 6-7 at UNMC learning about various health professions.

“It’s an opportunity for these young ladies to see women in medicine and other health professions and be exposed to the health science careers,” said LaTina Rencher, a community coach with the Urban League of Nebraska.

Rencher said none of the students in her six-week program had ever been to the UNMC campus, but many have high aspirations.

Like Jenni Watkins, who wants to be a veterinarian, or Emerald Starling, who is determined to be a chemist.

And then there is Caprice Blue, who hadn’t really thought about a career as a doctor in a hospital, until she encountered four female surgeons who told the girls why they love their chosen career.

“I am a part of why people love coming to the hospital, something amazing happens when you are a bridge between tragedy and the gift of life, that’s what transplant surgery is,” said Arika Hoffman, M.D., a transplant surgeon and assistant professor in the UNMC College of Medicine,.

Dr. Hoffman was joined by three of her colleagues: Lisa Schlitzkus, M.D., a trauma surgeon; Tiffany Tanner, M.D., a bariatric and minimally invasive surgeon; and Jessica Summers, M.D., medical director of the burn intensive care unit at Nebraska Medicine.

Each provided background on their own journey into medicine and what they do, followed by 20-minute interactive presentations.

“It’s extremely important for these girls to see role models and be inspired to think about their own future,” said Anita Lee, a coordinator in the UNMC Office of Community Engagement, which hosted the two-day workshop.

“This is an exciting first collaboration between our office and our partners at the Urban League. We look forward to creating more collaborations and opportunities like this to inspire the next generation,” said Heidi Keeler, Ph.D., interim director of the UNMC Office of Community Engagement.