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Testimonials

National Middle School Exchange Program

doctorforaday_postcards
For the parent's and the children's thoughts on this experience, please see their postcards we received after the trip View the postcards (PDF Download)

Between August 3rd and August 7th of 2011, 11 middle school students from Brooklyn New York travelled to Orange California for the first "Doctors for a Day National Middle School Exchange" program. In a collaborative effort between the University of California Irvine Department of Urology, the Foundation for the Advancement of Minimally Invasive Surgery and the Beginning with Children Foundation, 11 students from the Beginning with Children Charter School/ Community Partnership Charter School in NYC were partnered with 11 children from the Boys and Girls Club of Anaheim for a four day educational program.

The New York City students, who were among the top performers of their schools, were selected based on the submission of an essay about their motivation to attend the program. The program included lectures, exercises in laboratory experiences designed to challenge and stimulate the children to think about science and minimally inavasive surgery. There were two days of immersion in hands-on learning - including experiences with advanced minimally invasive technologies. These technologies included the da Vinci robotic system, pelvic trainer laparoscopic trainer, virtual reality laparoscopic simulator in addition to workshops of open suture, vital signs, and ultrasound. The children were given their own official scrubs and received "training" from physicians, residents, fellows and medical students. They also learned from world renowned doctors about their individual specialties, such as surgery, radiology, urology, and emergency medicine.

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The program also included a visit to the Discovery Science Center of Orange County, lessons on healthy eating, a tour of UC Irvine Douglas Hospital and a workshop practicing vital signs in the medical education exam rooms at UC Irvine campus. Of course we didn't bring kids all the way to California without going to the beach! After all of their hard work, the kids spent a fun evening at Crystal Cove Beach, playing football/frisbee and experiencing a slice of California life. The trip concluded with more fun with a visit to Disneyland on Saturday, August 6.

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