High school students get PRIMEd for healthcare careers

Petri dishes, sutures and CPR may be commonplace for WashU Medicine clinicians, but for some high school students, the PRe-college Immersive Medical-training Experience (PRIME) program provided their first look into what a medical career might entail.  

During the four-week summer experience for 10 high schoolers launched by WashU Medicine this year, students from McCluer High School participated in real-world, hands-on simulations such as casting an arm, suturing a wound, monitoring blood pressure and more. In addition, they learned more about physical therapy, orthopedic surgery, nursing, oncology and genetic counseling; toured multiple college campuses; and received additional math and English-language arts instruction in the context of STEM and medical career frameworks. Through practicing clinical skills, they not only gained an appreciation for the wide range of specialties that are available as careers but also gained the confidence to see themselves in the work someday. 

Tracey Hermanstyne, PhD, assistant dean of Academic Pathway Programs and an assistant professor of developmental biology at WashU Medicine, launched the PRIME program this year in partnership with St. Louis Integrated Health Network, Florissant-Ferguson School District, Institute of School Partnership and Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing. Hermanstyne is a firm believer that “you can’t be what you can’t see,” as the children’s advocate Marian Wright Edelman famously said. This program sets out to address that. 

“This experience inspired me to consider a career in nursing,” said 10th-grader Hannah Davis. “I want to help people during some of the most difficult times in their lives. I want to provide care, comfort and support to patients and their families while making a positive difference in my community.”

At the culminating ceremony that took place June 26 in Holden Auditorium on the Medical Campus, Hermanstyne shared with the audience of family, friends, school administrators and community partners that each Friday during the program was a “dress alike” day. Students were encouraged to come to PRIME wearing a particular themed outfit. She said that on this Friday, their graduation day, she wanted them to dress like her. To that end, each scholar was given a white medical coat. The coat was not only a memento from the program; it stands as a reminder of the students’ potential to pursue a STEM-related field in the future. 

“After being one of the fortunate students selected for this program at WashU Medicine, my perspective on cancer completely changed,” said 10th-grader Franchezka Kiara Vidal. “As the weeks went by, I realized how serious cancer truly is and how deeply it affects not only the patients, but also their families. On top of that, the amazing friends I made here gave me a reason to keep showing up every week — even on those 7:45 a.m. mornings when it was hard to get out of the bed. Their constant presence reminded me of how important showing up can be, especially for those people facing difficult challenges.” 

Watch a video that McCluer High School students compiled after their Nursing Week.