LOVELAND, Colo. — For a group of Northern Colorado high school students, Friday’s lesson took them far beyond the classroom.
Students visited Banner North Colorado Medical Center in Loveland for an open house, getting hands-on experience with some of the latest technology used by health care professionals.
The students rotated through different stations inside the hospital, learning about everything from CPR and patient monitoring to robotic-assisted surgery.
Get a Look at the Experience in the Video Player Below
For Matilda Capes, a senior at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, the experience offered a chance to connect what she is learning in school with what she could one day be doing in a hospital.
“I find that it kind of helps bridge the gap between what you're learning in school and what you're actually going to be doing,” Capes said. “Just that kind of hands-on learning just helps so much with the learning process and getting a real experience.”
Capes is already thinking about her future in medicine and said she is considering a career in anesthesiology.
One of the biggest draws for the students was Banner Health's robotic surgical technology.
The da Vinci 5 is one of Banner Health's newest robotic surgery systems.
Students got hands-on experience with the technology.
Erica Brough, a nursing director at Banner Health, said exposing students to that technology can help spark an interest in health care careers.
“Seeing this exciting technology is really what sparks that interest,” Brough said.
She said even if the experience inspires just one student to pursue a career in health care, she believes the opportunity is worth it.
Isaiah Abitia, a student at Fort Collins High School, said he had never learned about robotic surgery before the event. He's part of the school's medical assistance program.
“I actually would have never figured out or learned about the robotic arm for surgeries, and that's definitely something I would love to be a part of,” Abitia said.
Capes said the hands-on experience also gave her more confidence about pursuing a career in medicine.
“So just don't let things scaring you stop you from doing them,” Capes said. “Especially in medicine, when so much of it is just committing to beginning that journey, just hang along for the ride and make the best of it.”
