Lodi High School offers students hands-on experience in state-of-the-art med lab
Lodi High School in New Jersey boasts a state-of-the-art medical lab that features patient intake, diagnostic tools, phlebotomy training and virtual reality goggles, for starters.
"It's been a blessing, because I have so many people that just said 'yes' to me when I asked for things, which is amazing. So I started off here, just as a biology teacher, taught integrated science. I had a bunch of kids ask me for a pre-med club. So we did," pre-med teacher Virginia Fasulo explained. "Eighty kids showed up on my first day. So I was like, 'alright, we have a need, right?' So the club built over the years. Every year, we go see a live surgery. And it just kind of built up to the point where people were asking for actual classes."
The kids have responded. Usually, a line out the door to get into an emergency room isn't a good thing, until now.
"I really look forward to being a pediatrician," student Jaanvi Arora said. "When I came here, I actually went on the open house and I saw this room, and I'm like, wow, this is a great opportunity."
"For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to do something in the medical field," student Isabella Cengid said. "So when I came to the school and found out they had this med lab, it was just a whole new opportunity."
"It's amazing, especially, since these types of technology are only available in tech schools and specialized schools, but we have the opportunity for all of these amazing things and to be exposed to everything," student Kristin Shahine said.
The students are hands-on and do everything from CPR, to drawing blood and getting a patient's vitals. You can't help but be impressed by the state-of-the-art learning tools for state-of-the-art students.
"It's a nice preparation for college and what we're going to be expecting in a couple years from now," said student Abigail Serbeh.
"I like that this is all hands on. I feel like this is the way that we really learn and experience," said student Paloma Rodriguez.
Another added advantage for these future physicians are webinars with doctors all over the country and internships at Hackensack Medical Center. Plus, students get to witness a live surgery every year.
"I know so many people in so many other schools that they just don't have anything like this. They don't even have a class like this," said student Michael Finn Jr. "It's insane."
The students even use VR technology, like goggles that give them a detailed look inside the human body. So much so, they can reach in, pull out the heart and rotate it in their hands to survey it. It looks like a scene out of a movie, but it's today's medicine.
"The best way I can explain it is like in the Marvel movies, where Iron Man is talking to the mask, you see all the technology around you," said Finn.
"That's my hope, is that they'll be inspired and they'll know what their options are, because I really didn't. You know, when I got out of high school, I was like, doctor, nurse, that's it. But they have so many different options - public health," Fasulo explained. "So I hope that they can figure out something that they really latch on to, and hopefully it starts here."
