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Students from the Perkiomen School, Pennsburg, had an up-close and -hands-on lesson in spine surgery last Saturday, Jan. 29, taught to them by St. Luke’s Chief of Neurosurgery Doron Rabin, MD, and Hugh Moulding, MD, Director of St. Luke’s Brain and Spine Tumor Center. Despite the winter weather the area was experiencing, the event went on smoothly as scheduled.

“This was an exciting opportunity for us to teach in-depth knowledge about the spine to the next generation of healthcare professionals who may be taking care of us in the future,” says Dr. Rabin.

He and Dr. Moulding dissected cadavers to show the students the muscles, bones, nerves and spinal cord. Students then were able to dissect the preserved torsos with guidance from the physicians. The doctors also described common injuries and diseases of the spine and explained a range of treatment options, including surgery.

“By explaining how we decide which treatment is appropriate, given symptoms and pathology of a condition, students can gain insight into our day-to-day activities as St. Luke’s neurosurgeons,” added Dr. Moulding.

The day-long cadaver course, taught at the Venel Institute, Bethlehem, was an opportunity for the high schoolers to try their hands in the simulated “operating rooms” and learn about the training and daily activities of neurosurgeons.

The teens are part of the school’s Medical Institute, which gives students interested in Medical and STEM professions opportunities to interact with professionals and provides them with hands-on learning experiences such as the spine cadaver course.

“This kind of experience is exciting and educational for our students, and we are grateful to Drs. Rabin and Moulding for sharing their knowledge and skills with our young learners,” said the school’s director of its Medical Institute, Jeffrey Rodgers, PhD. “Past workshops have sparked or affirmed students’ interest in pursuing a medical career after high school.”