Students Get An Inside Look Into The Medical Field

Two students got a look into the medical field most never get to see.

“This is a pleasant lady who wore out her hip replacement from years of use, so today she’ll have a brand-new hip,” doctor of osteopathy Ghassan Boghosian said. “All of us can remember in our lives the people who have changed our attitude about what we love and what we do, and certainly I have had that experience. I feel blessed to get to give these kids the opportunity to feel excited about medicine and surgery.”

“It was very interactive. The doctor talked to us and told us what he was doing,” Cathedral City High School junior Chanel Dupont said.

JFK Hospital hosted the job-shadow day for two juniors at Cathedral City High School who are a part of HEAL – Health and Environmental Academy of Learning – which is a program for students exploring jobs in the health care profession. HEAL joined with CVEP- Coachella Valley Economic Partnership – to find professionals that would let students shadow them. CVEP said early workforce development is crucial and important, because these students are the future professionals of the world.

“So amazing. It was my first surgery and I’m so glad I got to experience it,” Dupont said.

“It was a fascinating experience. It’s one of those things that you never know what it is until you are there looking at it,” junior Steven Arnold said.

The bright teens kept up with the pace.

“Some of the things he’d be explaining and we actually understood it, so that was really cool,” Dupont said.

Perhaps they’re ahead of the race — some of the few people who say without hesitation what they want to do in life.

“My dream job is to be a cardiac surgeon,” Arnold said.

“My dream job is to be a gynecologist,” Dupont said.

The students read about the medical field every day, but Dr. Boghosian said books don’t compare to the real deal.

“It’s a world of difference. I’m a very visual person. You can gain some excitement by reading about something, but to be able to participate in it and see it and experience what it’s like to be there, it’s a whole other category,” Boghosian said.

Learning is motivational, but clearly, seeing is inspirational.

“It changed my opinion to actually strive more to want to get into a career like this,” Arnold added.

With pen and paper in hand, questions firing away, and promising looks of awe, they seem well on their way.