Underrepresented students gain hands-on surgical exposure at UC Davis Health Outreach Program

More than 60 local high school, undergraduate, and medical students attended a hands-on workshop sponsored by Nth Dimensions to gain early exposure to surgical skills. The workshop was led by UC Davis Health faculty and residents, in collaboration with several specialties including, Orthopaedic Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Sports Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Dermatology.

The students participated from surrounding areas, including Los Angeles and Reno. Many of them, regular attendees of the program, demonstrated their eagerness and dedication to pursuing their dreams of applying to UC Davis School of Medicine and Nth Dimensions summer internship in the coming years.

Nth Dimensions, a non-profit organization founded in 2004, is dedicated to addressing the underrepresentation of women and minorities in the field of orthopaedic surgery. Their mission is to eliminate health care disparities in all communities by diversifying the physician workforce. The organization achieves this by providing resources, mentorship, expertise, and hands-on experience to increase the number of women and underrepresented students who can complete competitive residency programs.

During the event's opening session, Letitia Bradford, an orthopaedic surgeon, shared an inspiring story about her journey into the medical field. She spoke about how she overcame the discouragement of being told she was "not a good fit for orthopaedic surgery" and the pushback she faced as a black female in the field. Her story aimed to leave the audience with the message that anyone, regardless of their background or appearance, can become a surgeon. Bradford encouraged the students to seek multiple mentors, gain hands-on experience, secure letters of recommendation, explore local opportunities, and learn to overcome barriers.

The students spent the afternoon rotating through 10 different stations designed to offer valuable insights and hands-on experience in a specific area.

The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), in conjunction with Sports Medicine, provided Musculoskeletal Ultrasound for the PM&R stations.

Faculty members and residents volunteered at the event to teach the students how to use the latest operating room tools and basic techniques to help them understand what it takes to be in the field of medicine. Students were also taught how to use plates with screws, how to insert rods in a femur fracture, external fixation for fractured bones, hip and joint reconstruction, rotator cuff and meniscus repair, and simulated surgical procedures using sawbones.

“There was a student who had a power drill in their hands for the first time, and in that moment, I saw it. 'It' being the moment where you realize that this might be something I want to do for the rest of my life. It was a life-defining moment, the kind that shapes your future. I hope this experience does that for her,” said Michelle Scott, an orthopaedic resident who is completing a year of research. “The pathway most students pursue in orthopaedics may not be your path, and that is okay. Not everyone’s path is the same. Don’t be deterred. Find those mentors/sponsors to help you in this difficult journey, and know that it will be worth it."

“I was particularly impressed by the mentorship dynamics, which encompassed peer-to-peer interactions as well as guidance from physicians and residents," said Ruby Garcia, a student from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. "It's rare to find a setting where one can gain hands-on exposure to shave biopsies, sawing or drilling into bones or performing a mock total hip replacement, and I truly appreciated the chance to expand my skills and knowledge in this way.” 

Cassandra Lee, a sports surgeon and chief of diversity and outreach officer for the department of orthopaedic surgery, is a strong advocate for women in orthopaedics and related programs.

“Our collaboration with the Nth Dimensions programs seeks to open doors into medical specialties that have traditionally lacked diversity, such as Orthopaedic Surgery and Dermatology. This hands-on workshop is just one of the steps in teaching skills to these students as we encourage them on the path to becoming physicians. As Marian Wright Edelman has said, 'You can't be what you can't see,' and by exposing these young learners to our field of medicine, we hope to break down some of those barriers,” Lee said.  

The event ended with a panel discussion, where faculty and residents shared their insights with the students and answered questions.

According to the Physician Compensation Report 2023 published by Medscape, only 10% of orthopaedic surgeons in the U.S. are women. The lack of exposure and representation is considered to be one of the main reasons that keep women from entering this field. To address the lack of diversity in healthcare, programs such as Nth Dimensions are helping to bridge the gap.

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery hosted its first Nth Dimensions event in 2022, with 25 students. The following year, the number of attendees more than doubled, and the program has continued to grow ever since. The program aims to make a significant impact on the lives of students and provide them with valuable insights and experiences that will help them on their journey to becoming the next generation of healthcare professionals.