By: Reilly Buselli
Geisinger School of Medicine runs a monthly program, the Sanofi Biomedical Science Program, to enrich students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Students from a variety of schools in the area come together once a month to study a topic of their choosing. The topics vary from cystic fibrosis to diabetes. The students also study a collective topic each month. The topics are all different but have some common themes.
The September and October trips centered around asthma. Students learned about the causes and treatments as well as the common misconceptions associated with it. They also learned about the connections between asthma and food allergies.
This month, students learned about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Health professionals taught students the causes, symptoms, and treatments of COPD as well as what physicians use to diagnose it. The students were taught by medical professors as well as licensed pharmacists. Each student got a chance to experiment with different methods of administering medications that doctors commonly use to treat the symptoms of COPD.
Wallenpaupack’s participation in this program never would have been possible without the support of Mrs. Sullum and Dr. Clark. They both have guided the students to take part in this program and have pushed each student to be their absolute best.
As the program continues, the students get the opportunity to expand their medical knowledge and form connections that will help them throughout their future careers. Opportunities like this one not only broaden students’ scientific understanding, but they also help to shape the next generation of healthcare professionals.
