Complementing the program, we offered enrichment workshops designed to build foundational knowledge in various specialties, enhance professional skills, and provide career exposure. This year, scholars also gained valuable clinical volunteering hours. Through collaborations with Northwestern Medicine, Jesse Brown Veterans Medical Center, and The Clare Nursing Home, we provided scholars with over 100 hours of clinical exposure.
The programming included:
- Informational session and tour of our Evanston campus.
- One of the unique aspects of our program is the opportunity for students to visit the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago. This trip allowed students to learn about innovative work, tour the labs, and engage in hands-on activities meticulously developed by investigators. While there, students heard from CZ Chicago Biohub president and NUGoKidney Project Lead Shana Kelley, who discussed the process of getting a CZ Biohub to Chicago and provided an opportunity for students to ask questions. This experience provided our scholars with a unique insight into the world of medical research and innovation.
- Mid- and end-of-program Research in Progress seminars, where students presented status updates on their projects, built their posters, and gained feedback from peers, the program director, and the program coordinator.
- A panel discussion with current Driskill Graduate Students, learning about PhD programs and how they work: Fiona Carter-Todd, Isha Hawkins, Karla Guerra, and Natalia Khalatyan joined us, providing various perspectives from current rotating students to near-end students.
- Anatomy Experience with Angelique Dueñas, where students learned about, viewed, and examined cadaver organs. Students also had the opportunity to use a mobile ultrasound and 3D educational tools and engage in a body painting activity.
- Simulations Labs session where scholars rotated through three activities: FLS Peg Transfer training, CPR Man-Down, and Ultrasound.
On July 18th, we closed out the program with our showcase celebration. It was a moment of pride as our scholars presented their posters to over 75 people, including peers, friends, families, high school faculty, and their labs. Their achievements were truly inspiring. Preview the posters below:
Overall, the SciHigh Summer 2024 program was a resounding success. We are immensely proud of the scholars’ hard work and achievements, and we look forward to seeing the incredible contributions they will make. Thank you to all our mentors, partners, and supporters for making this summer unforgettable for our scholars.
