Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Jocelyn Olson’s Hands On Experience for Clinical Medical Careers…

When she fractured her back while studying at Southern Oregon State University in Ashland, Jocelyn Olson spent her senior year in a wheelchair. The experience was so profound she decided to give some of her Enterprise High School medical career students a look into that world.

The 10 seniors, each in the second, or capstone, year of the Career Technical Education program, each spent a day navigating school in a wheelchair “to put themselves in the shoes of their future patients,” Olson says.

Data from the individual experiences was pooled, allowing the students to be both study participants and researchers. The students then wrote papers using the demanding American Psychological Association style (the same format graduate students use), complete with references and footnotes.

“They had to navigate the elevator, classrooms, the bathroom, a two-story building and how they were perceived and treated by teachers,” Olson says. “It really changed their outlook and perceptions.”
Keyona Dotson says the experience opened her eyes to the challenges wheelchair users face on a daily basis, including the occasional mean joke or hurtful comment as well as the physical demands. “Pushing yourself is hard and takes a lot of strength in the upper body, which is challenging,” she says. Another takeaway: “We can smile at those in wheelchairs and open doors and tell them to have a good day, and treat them like the human beings they are.”

Edwin Pena, a bilingual senior interested in becoming a surgeon, says the hands-on approach was an effective way to gain a better understanding of the emotional, physical and social barriers that are faced by people with disabilities. Students “learned how important it is to advocate for a patient with a disability and ensure that their needs are met with respect. This also shows that a health provider should always be compassionate and bias-free.”

The wheelchair exercise gave students more empathy, Nylah Rollins says, adding: “In the end, this experiment was also very fun to be a part of and a very good learning experience different from what most students are used to. If done effectively, it will stick with a person throughout their life.”

Olson says nursing faculty at Simpson University were so impressed with the students’ work that they invited them to present their findings at an upcoming symposium.

Experiences like these and real-world exposure are at the heart of the CTE program the Shasta Union High School District offers students at Shasta, Enterprise and Foothill high schools. In addition to satisfying vocational arts requirements for graduation, CTE students can earn industry certifications and Shasta College credits in fields ranging from engineering and hospitality to natural resources, agriculture and information technology.

Externships, where students shadow professionals working in local clinics, provide Olson’s second-year CTE students with valuable insight into their potential medical careers. Students are interviewed for positions and, once accepted, spend 1.5 to 2 hours on-site twice a week. According to students and prospective employers, the arrangements are mutually beneficial.

“It gives me a look at all kinds of things,” says Laila Booze, who is serving an externship at Churn Creek Healthcare. “I get to see everything that most people don’t get to see: pediatrics, vaccines, walk-ins … I’m interested in going into the medical field as a career. I’m interested in obstetrics specifically. I took this class because I’m able to get a head start into college.”

Pena was placed with Valor Oncology in Redding, learning about sterilization techniques, assisting patients and studying the operating room procedures. He says his hands-on classroom lessons, including giving injections to mannequins and becoming certified in CPR, helped him prepare for his externship assignments.

His work, and that of the other students, has made a favorable impression on Candice Carter, a supervisor at Valor. “Enterprise High School is not just shaping students; they are crafting the leaders of tomorrow, eager to embrace the challenges of the workforce,” she writes. “Through proactive engagement and a desire to learn, the medical assistant students assigned to Valor Oncology have provided compassionate patient care, bridging the gap between hope and healing. Amidst the challenges of shortages in healthcare, the interest of these students points to a brighter future.”

Dotson says she was drawn to the class to honor her mother, who had to leave the medical field when she started her family. “This is me doing what I can to make my mom proud,” she says. Dotson, whose goal is to serve in the military as a combat medic, serves at Hill Country Community Clinic. She says she’s learning how to deal with patients who are frequently upset. “There’s a lot going on and one thing I can control is being kind and being helpful, so that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Maya Hubbs says she’s learning how to make patients more comfortable while they’re being treated at the Shasta Eye Medical Group, a task made easier thanks to her CTE classwork. She says she’s trying to decide between physical therapy and ophthalmology as a career choice.

The Enterprise students have been well received at Shasta Eye, whose spokesperson noted “they have both been wonderful to work with. Their positive attitude and eagerness to learn are truly inspiring. Thank you for sending such well prepared, smart, and driven kids.”

Hannah Trammel says the CTE class has taught her “how to go about things in a professional way” and credits Olson, who shares from her background in patient care and phlebotomy. “She’s very helpful and hardworking and cares about what I want to do with my life.”

Trammel is serving an externship at Adams Affordable Cremation and Burial, where she answers the phone, answers clients’ questions and helps produce death certificates. She says her schoolwork has helped her keep her composure when working with people in often difficult situations. “I like that it can bring a lot of work experience. It’s more than just being a medical assistant or RN, but how to be a professional and present yourself.”

Olson is proud of the progress her students have made – “I don’t even know if proud is enough to speak to what these kids are doing and how I feel.” •

Shasta Union High School District Career and Technical Education

www.suhsd.net/Departments/Instructional-Services/Career-And-Technical-Education/index.html