October 27, 2009

Potomac High School Student Explores Medicine in Boston

Mario Flores, a sophomore enrolled in the Cambridge Program at Potomac High School, participated this summer in the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, held in Boston, Massachusetts. The 10-day forum included seminars, visits to hospitals, clinics, and other centers of public health, and a series of fast-paced simulations covering the breadth of modern medicine including ethics, disaster response, and the residency match process, according to Marguerite C. Regan, Ph.D., Dean of Academic Affairs for the National Youth Leadership Forum. Flores viewed a total knee replacement surgery from beginning to end, with the opportunity to have his questions answered by an orthopedic surgeon. He explored numerous careers in the medical field through hands-on experiences and discussions with experienced medical professionals. In the culminating Public Health in Action simulation, Flores dealt with a public health emergency situation which challenged him to consider the importance of public health and the lifelong pursuit of learning. Flores was nominated to attend the Forum by Potomac High School Science Teacher Lesley Johnson.