Kelli Deveaux
Credit: Sarah Drury
Caption: GHS students Grayson Cole and Stella Wu prepare to practice inserting an IV.

Recently healthcare professionals with ties to the Gorham community shared their expertise with students of Sarah Drury’s Sports Medicine and Anatomy semesterlong classes at Gorham High School.

Sports Medicine and Anatomy is available to students in grades 11 and 12 with an interest in pursuing careers in the medical field. In class they learn First Aid and CPR, 14 emergency procedures, anatomy and physiology, basic prevention, evaluation and treatment of athletic injuries, as well as an investigation into various healthcare careers.
Over two days, the local professionals shared their expertise through a panel discussion, before leading the students through various hands-on experiences or simulations related to the tasks and skills utilized in their specific job in healthcare. Professionals included a nurse, athletic trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, physical therapists, an occupational therapist, a physician assistant, and nurse anesthetist. The hands-on activities included practice and instruction around manual therapy techniques, suturing, IV placement, intubation, and ultrasound.

Eleventh grade student Anna Nichols said of the experience, “Hearing these professionals helped me get a feel for the pros and cons of their jobs, and the hands-on activities got us engaged and painted a picture of what these careers involve.” Nichols intends to study nursing in the future.