Inspiring Futures: Armory College Prep's Experience at the Orthopedic Surgery Symposium

On Friday, Dec 1st, 2023,  Armory College Prep Students were invited by our neighbors, The Lang Youth Medical Program, to participate in an Orthopedic Surgery Symposium, hosted by NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. The Lang Youth Medical Program is a six-year science education and mentoring program for middle school students, sponsored by NewYork-Presbyterian. The program aims to inspire, support, and motivate young people in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan to realize their college and career aspirations, especially in the health sciences.

Our students were amazed by how much they learned, and by how welcomed they felt at the event, by both the Lang Youth team, and the NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital presenters. The event, entitled "Distance Travelled: An Orthopedic Surgery Event," was designed to encourage under-represented communities in the medical/surgical field to consider careers in Orthopedics, both in research and as surgeons. The lead presenters, Dr. Christen Russo, and fourth-year med student, student, Grace Plassche, made a point to discuss the shortage of women, and people of color, in the Orthopedic field. They also made a point to include an incredibly diverse group of professionals and med students in this event, all of whom were there to lead a very hands-on demonstration of a variety of aspects of the Orthopedic environment (there were five tables, each with different tasks, that each student was able to take part in). 

It is their hope (and ours!) that events like this, targeting our high school students, will inspire young people to pursue this exciting, challenging, lucrative, and emotionally rewarding career path. From the smiles, and obvious engagement on the faces of our ACP students, it would appear that they achieved that goal! 

Thanks so much to Isabelle Elton and the entire Lang Youth Medical Program, for inviting us. We look forward to joining you on future exciting events!