The UC Davis department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine is committed to caring for its patients, serving its community, and guiding the next generation of healthcare professionals. We believe that community outreach is vital to engaging and encouraging our future generations. With this mission in mind, we have partnered with the California Society of Anesthesiologists (CSA) and Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a national nonprofit organization aimed at increasing STEM education, to introduce a new biomedical workshop to three high schools in the greater Sacramento area: River City High School, Antelope High School, and Pleasant Grove High School.  

As part of this partnership, our team of anesthesiologists and residents visit each high school to provide an engaging curriculum, which includes lectures on pulmonary anatomy and physiology, workshops on inventing tools for endotracheal intubation, hands-on airway workshops, and a pathway to medicine panel. The students also visit UC Davis' state-of-the-art Center for Health and Technology, where they participate in real-life simulations and learn about standard anesthesia monitors, point of care ultrasound, and Basic Life Support.  Our goal is to mentor and empower these young students to pursue health care professions by sharing our various paths into medicine, holding Q&A sessions about the pre-medicine educational track, and giving candid career advice. Our surveys indicate that students find our visits to be both educational and motivating. This partnership has allowed for an exciting opportunity for our local high school students to be exposed to the field of medicine, and specifically anesthesiology, early on in their educational pathway.

Making an Impact: New CSA Partnership with Project Lead the Way and UC Davis Department of Anesthesiology to Support Biomedical Curricula in Three Sacramento Area High Schools.


 

PLTW Leadership:

Dr. Reihaneh Forghany

Reihaneh Forghany, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Project Lead the Way, Director


Dr. Viviana Ruiz-Barros

Viviana Ruiz-Barros, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Project Lead the Way,
Director of Education


Dr. Amy Chen

Amy Chen, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Project Lead the Way,
Community Outreach Director

Dr. Kevin Nguyen

Kevin Nguyen, M.D.
CA1

Dr. Venea Omendac

Venea Omendac, M.D.
CA1

Dr. Jorge Avila

Jorge Avila, M.D.
CA2

Dr. Shane McGuire

Shane McGuire, D.O.
CA2

Dr. Viviana Ruiz-Barros and Dr. Venea Omendac

Dr. Viviana Ruiz-Barros and Dr. Venea Omendac

PLTW Leadership team & Thomas, RCHS teacher

PLTW Leadership team & Thomas, RCHS teacher

PLTW leadership demonstrates intubation

PLTW leadership demonstrates intubation

Dr. Forghany talking to RCHS students

Dr. Forghany talking to RCHS students

Dr. Amy Chen & Dr. Viviana Ruiz-Barros

Dr. Amy Chen & Dr. Viviana Ruiz-Barros

Dr. Forghany and Dr. Omendac showing a student how to properly intubate a patient

Dr. Forghany and Dr. Omendac showing a student how to properly intubate a patient

Group discussions at RCHS

Group discussions at RCHS

PLTW leadership enjoying their first class

PLTW leadership enjoying their first class

Dr. Forghany and Dr. Omendac demonstrating proper placement of intubation tube

Dr. Forghany and Dr. Omendac demonstrating proper placement of intubation tube

Antelope HS students silly photo

Antelope HS students silly photo :)

Drs. Nguyen, Forghany, Chen and Ruiz-Barros

Drs. Nguyen, Forghany, Chen and Ruiz-Barros

Dr. Kevin Nguyen at Antelope HS

Dr. Kevin Nguyen at Antelope HS

Antelope HS students participate in PLTW

Antelope HS students participate in PLTW

Dr. Nguyen at Antelope HS

Dr. Nguyen at Antelope HS

Dr. Nguyen demonstrating proper intubation

Dr. Nguyen demonstrating proper intubation

Dr. Forghany at Antelope HS

Dr. Forghany at Antelope HS

PLTW leadership airway demonstrations

PLTW leadership airway demonstrations

Dr. Shane McGuire posing during SIM day at UCD

Dr. Shane McGuire demonstrating the steps for Basic Life Support

Dr. Forghany introduces transthoracic echocardiography to students

Dr. Forghany introduces transthoracic echocardiography to students

PLTW hands on activities

Students practicing Basic Life Support

Drs. Forghany, McGuire and Ruiz-Barros

Drs. Forghany, McGuire and Ruiz-Barros

Drs. McGuire, Ruiz-Barros & Forghany, PLTW leadership

Drs. McGuire, Ruiz-Barros & Forghany, PLTW leadership

Drs. Chen and McGuire prep for Pleasant Grove HS

Drs. Chen and McGuire prep for Pleasant Grove HS

Drs. Forghany, McGuire and Chen in a UCD operating room

Drs. Forghany, McGuire and Chen in a UCD operating room

Drs. McGuire, Forghany and Chen, PLTW leadership

Drs. McGuire, Forghany and Chen, PLTW leadership

Drs. Forghany, Nguyen and Chen at the PLTW launch event with CA Legislative Assembly

Drs. Forghany, Nguyen and Chen at the PLTW launch event with CA Legislative Assembly

Dr. Forghany and Dr. Nguyen recognition certificate

Dr. Forghany and Dr. Nguyen recognition certificate

Dr. Forghany

Dr. Forghany

Dr. Forghany, Nguyen & Chen

Dr. Forghany, Nguyen & Chen