HHS Seniors Participate in PreMed Program at White Plains

Harrison High School seniors Emily Kohutnicki and Emma Smolev have been selected to participate in the White Plains Hospital Pre-medical program. The program, run by Harrison High School graduate Dr. Kaare Weber, provides students the opportunity to work in a small group with medical doctors from a variety of fields. Students from Harrison as well as Scarsdale, Byram Hills and White Plains meet every Wednesday for two hours in the afternoon from January 2016 - May 2016.

Emma and Emily are both seniors who are currently in their second year of the IB program. They both applied to the program for different reasons but both are keeping their options open to careers as medical doctors. “I had surgery my freshman year and that has made me interested in orthopedics,” said Emma, while Emily mentioned that she had taken a course over the summer on public health issues that has piqued her interest.

The program focuses on a distinctive learning opportunity each week, with medical specialists in that particular field leading the program. So far, the “pre-pre-med” students have learned about anesthesiology, how to insert a central line (on a mannequin), and radiology with the use of ultrasounds.

The students have not had interactions with hospital patients as of yet, but they were quick to point out that the doctors have stressed that medicine isn’t really like what is displayed on television in shows like “House” and “Grey’s Anatomy”. The doctors have focused their discussion on both the medicine they practice and balancing their professional life with their personal lives.

“This program is allowing Emma and Emily to glimpse the challenging and dynamic world of medicine and the dedication required of medical doctors,” said Joan O’Keeffe, Harrison’s Director of Science and Technology.

Current juniors who are considering a career as a medical doctor can consider applying to this program next year.

Even though Emma and Emily have not quite determined what their next steps will be, they are looking forward to a few of the specific disciplines that are on the calendar. Emma is excited about the May 11 focus on orthopedic surgery and Emily is interested in the April 6 study of infectious diseases – a timely topic given the concern around the spreading of the Zika virus.