October 22nd, 2024 By: Megan McDonough
This week in Biomed was one of my favorites so far! We took a class field trip to the University of South Alabama College of Allied Health. We visited different departments, Simlabs, and the Biomedical Library. As we walked through the multitude of different departments, it was so amazing to see how much can be taught in just a few buildings. Each one of the departments had something different to offer me and I am always thrilled to learn new things!
The Feild Trip!
One of the first few departments we visited was the Radiology department. In this department, we were shown how they practice teaching their students how to use an X-ray machine safely. I thought this was especially interesting because they do their X-rays on real human bones, cast in resin. Since the radiation dispersed by an X-ray can be harmful in large amounts, they cannot be practiced on each other. I found this super innovative and it was so amazing to see what goes on behind the scenes of an X-ray as an athlete who has had a multitude of them.
My absolute favorite department we met with was the biomedical sciences department. This department showed us how to use a microscope and provided some really interesting samples for us to investigate. My favorite was the moleskin and the mosquito head. I thought it was super cool to see these teeny tiny things so close up, with such a powerful microscope. However, my favorite part of this department was when they brought us to their nutrition lab. I have a passion for nutritional sciences and I am hoping to major in it during my undergrad. So it brought me so much joy to see what the inside of a real lab looked like! The second I walked in I felt so at home. It made me so excited for my future!
Mole Skin Mosquito Head
My next favorite department was the occupational therapy department. In this department, they work with people from “Birth to Earth”, anyone who has had a life-altering experience or was born with a disability would come to their occupational care unit. They had us participate in a hands-on activity while we were there. They provided us with sight-obstructing goggles and tasked us with decorating a cookie. This was eye-opening to me. It was extremely difficult for me to operate for only a few minutes with obstructed vision, I can only imagine how hard it is to live with. I enjoyed this because I was able to experience a new aspect of life that I had never before.
Megan and Maggie McDonough
One last notable department was the EMS department. Even though this one was not one of my favorites. I was able to see my sister while she was attending classes! It was so inspiring to see active students in each building, but seeing my sister made the whole experience ten times better.
Along with the EMS department, the simulation lab was the most incredible experience. We were able to work alongside South Alabama's high-fidelity patient simulators. We performed two different simulations, CPR and ChildBirth. During both simulations, I was able to see how well and life-like these mannequins can be. It was so amazing! I enjoyed the child's simulation the most, I was tasked with swaddling and holding the baby after birth. Let's just say I forgot it was just a doll and fell in love with the mannequin I named John Micheal.
We ended our tour at the USA Biomedical Library. This was a huge pit stop for me because I adore reading. Being able to see all these old journals, students at work, and how they run was inspiring. One of my favorite things about this library was its art gallery. It was full of beautiful artwork and I cannot wait to go back and conduct more research for my upcoming paper!
My Paper!
So far, I have begun writing the first few pages of my paper. At first, this seemed like a daunting task and I was unsure if I was going to be able to tackle it. However, as I began writing I realized that it was much easier than I thought it would be. Writing about something that I am passionate about makes it feel more like a hobby instead of actual classwork. I find myself researching my time and genuinely enjoying it. Which is such an incredible feeling. I was able to contact a professor at South Alabama, due to this field trip, and schedule an interview. This is huge progress for me! I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to take this intervention class and explore my passions in a way I have never been able to before!
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