Ascension St. Vincent's is helping Ponte Vedra High School students learn more about their career opportunities and possibilities in healthcare during Operation HERO (Health, Education, Resources, Opportunities) event where they received hands-on experience with the latest medical technology and learned more about the industry from St. Vincent's physicians, nurses and care teams.
Students tested the da Vinci 5, the newest robotic surgical system that offers advanced features for minimally invasive surgery. St. Vincent's Riverside was one of the first hospitals in the world to receive the system. They fished for toy sharks using the system, giving them insight into the manual dexterity required to perform a procedure. They also used another da Vinci console to participate in a simulated training game.
"It's allowing me to see all the new technology that's coming about and what I'm going to be working with when I get to medical school," said Matthew Jones, a junior at Ponte Vedra High School. "I'm so grateful that I go to a school where I can actually see this stuff."
Dr. Martin Martino, a gynecological oncologist at St. Vincent's Riverside, who specializes in robotic surgery, said bringing the OR to the classroom is one of his passions and he hopes these events help students think differently about healthcare as a potential career path.
"As they consider their future careers, we want to inspire them," Dr. Martino said. "We want them to think: 'I can do anything, the future is unlimited; I just have to have the ability to dream and then make that a reality.’"
Michelle Meyer, a math teacher at Ponte Vedra High School, collaborated with Dr. Martino to organize this event for students. Michelle said the event is a launching pad for students preparing to graduate from high school and move to the next stage of their lives.
"It is so essential that we build a community with our kids and us just having these conversations with people outside of the school," Meyer said. "It just builds that relationship piece that is crucial inside the classroom."
School and hospital leaders are planning to make this an annual event for students at the school.
