Joint lessons: Orthopedic surgeons talk to Hamilton High School anatomy students

Hamilton High Schools anatomy and physiology class had two orthopedic surgeons talk with students about their profession and provide students with the hands-on experience of drilling plastic bones, placing screws and plates on Monday.

Dr. Timothy Woods and Dr. Jeremiah Clinton of Bitterroot Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Marcus Daly Memorial hospital came to share their thoughts and experiences with students.

Theyve been learning about muscular skeletal anatomy, and we let them drill holes in plastic bones and pretend that they are orthopedic surgeons, said Woods. It may solidify the practical aspects of what theyve been learning. Theyve been memorizing anatomic landmarks on a human skeleton. They may understand why that may be important if you link it to surgery in some way.

I didnt have an opportunity like this when I was in school. I didnt know what was available in health care period, said Clinton. Thats the remarkable thing about health care classes and job fair opportunities they help students explore options. Many people who choose the medical profession have had a personal or family experience with the health profession as a patient.

The anatomy and physiology class is taught by Marie Antonioli and is one of several career and technical education courses designed to give students the basics for specific professions. The courses include academic foundations, skill development and an opportunity to explore that field as a career.

At the beginning of the semester, Antonioli had the students list health careers they might be interested in pursuing. They listed prospective guest speakers, then asked the professionals to come to the class and share about their career path and talk about the body systems that they work with.

We are just finishing up our unit on the skeletal system, so having two orthopedic surgeons come in today and talk about fixing bones and joints and then providing students with hands-on experience was phenomenal timing, said Antonioli. It doesnt get any cooler than that. I know that when other students heard that the anatomy students were drilling into plastic bones and tapping in metal rods, they began thinking, Thats awesome, maybe Ill take that class next year.

In preparation for the surgeons visit, students submitted questions so the doctors could be prepared.

Ive never had a speaker ask for the questions in advance and then answer each one, said Antonioli. Every student in the class was vested in those questions and couldnt wait to hear the answers. No sleepy heads this Monday morning in anatomy class.

Some of the questions the students asked included: What happens when someone is on blood thinners and breaks a bone? How do you do a bone graft? What is the most common injury (due to athletics) that you see? Is it easier/more common to tear your ACL than your PCL? What is one of the most bizarre injuries youve treated or seen?

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Joint lessons: Orthopedic surgeons talk to Hamilton High School anatomy students