Hands-on Learning? Just What the Doctor Ordered!

A few extra “doctors” were in the house when students from our Honors Biology and Science of the Body classes took a recent field trip to the Center for Education, Simulation, and Innovation (CESI) at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut.

Led by CESI’s expert medical team, they learned the many uses of the sophisticated manikins available in the center as they practiced CPR, birthing methods, and surgical skills using open, endoscopic, laparoscopic, and robotic methods.

The state-of-the-art facility is an internationally renowned destination for training, education, and medical device development. It includes a Bio-Skills Wet Lab for conducting research and development, preclinical testing, and hands-on training; Clinical Simulation Labs to learn and practice patient assessment, clinical decision-making, and working as a team; and high-tech classroom and lecture spaces.

Honors Biology student Tyler Roberts ’27 was impressed with CESI’s operations and technology. “We learned how medical treatments are advancing to create less-invasive operations,” he shared. “As an example, the laparoscopic surgery lab offered a presentation demonstrating the movement of tiny blocks from side to side using the tool. It was thrilling to see how futuristic some of the labs were in the facility. We gained extraordinary insight into the medical field and a greater appreciation for its professionals.”  

Science Department Chair Cammy Roffe P ’12, ’15 was pleased to see the students so immersed in the interactive learning at CESI, among the largest and best-equipped medical simulation centers in the country. “They gained a deep understanding of how much goes into being a professional in the medical field and the career options available to them,” she said. “It was tremendous for our science students to have hands-on experience similar to what nurses, doctors, and paramedics go through every day.”

We are ever-grateful to the doctors and staff at Hartford Hospital for giving our biology students these amazing learning opportunities.

VIEW PHOTOS