(LITCHFIELD)- Encouraging, inspiring and introducing others to possibilities in the medical field has called physicians, medical students and science teachers together for an incredible opportunity. Litchfield students gathered around a screen not only watching and listening but interacting via zoom with a pediatric surgeon, Dr. Kathy (Poland) Schall. Nebraska Rural Health Outreach (NRHO) is connecting the dots and providing small schools with the opportunity to learn about career opportunities in the medical field. What makes a big connection is that Dr. Schall is a 2001 Litchfield graduate.
She was a few minutes late getting on Zoom because she was finishing up a surgery, but she took time out of her very busy schedule to meet with the kids to visit with them and answer their questions. As Dr. Schall’s stepmom, the Litchfield guidance counselor Susan Poland passed out pizza to the students gathered in the science room, while her stepdaughter Dr. Schall presented her path to becoming a pediatric surgeon. The Litchfield students are literally in the same seat in the same room that Dr. Schall sat in years ago contemplating her future and dreaming of being a doctor. She states that she first wanted to be a doctor in the 5th grade, but “it was hard to start saying it out loud” partially afraid that people might think she couldn’t do it. She went on to say, “I remember being in your shoes and thinking that it was a dream that seemed too far away. I want you to see that someone you know has made it through and so can you!”
When it came time to officially apply to medical school she didn’t get accepted on her first try. Instead of changing directions, she scheduled a meeting with the dean to discuss what she could do differently to get in the next year. The dean said she lacked some research experience. So she wanted to apply to get some research experience as the dean had suggested but it was difficult because she wasn’t in “school” anymore. She found herself befriending a secretary who said “I think I have the perfect job for you.” Through an amazing chain of events Dr. Schall ended up as the lab tech for a very reputable doctor, Dr. Yuri Persidsky, and in that year got her name on 7 research publications. She states “I fell into a year that has benefited me more than any other year.”
When asked, what made her want to become a pediatric surgeon, Dr. Schall said it was exposure to the medical field through her aunt who is an ER nurse and a flight nurse, as well as her stepmom Mrs. Poland who was then a medical assistant. Dr. Schall wants to help students have that same introduction into the medical field. She talked about her favorite surgeries and what they were. “To be able to fix a child’s problem to get them back to doing something they love is amazing. I want you to know that medicine is a really challenging and a stressful job at times, but it is so much more rewarding than I could have ever imagined”. She spoke about things she wishes she had done differently, things she would recommend and answered all of the questions from the schools in attendance. “The years are long but the days are short. If medicine is something you want to do, persevere and you will get there.”
Shea Jeffres, a fourth-year medical student from Burwell, is the one responsible for the zoom meeting taking place. “My friends and I noticed that urban students were getting so much more exposure to medical careers than rural students,” Jeffres said, “It was an idea that I had and my friends said ‘yes’”. She met with a dean at UNMC, Dr. Wendy Grant, who was a big fan of their idea. The idea? Expose rural students to the possibilities in the medical field. Throughout the school year high school students will be able to zoom with dentists, pharmacists, occupational therapists; all of the colleges at UNMC will be represented. “My friends and I feel like we now had the ability to fill that need,” Shea said. She and her medical student friends get to meet all kinds of physicians through their schooling. When they meet medical personnel that are from small towns, they ask if they would be interested in reaching out to small schools to share their stories.
The next meeting, October 11, Dr. Young will present. He is the director of the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) at Wayne. Shea Jeffres said, “We ask healthcare providers to talk about their individual pathways from high school, to undergrad, to professional school, to where they are now in their careers. We also encourage them to share any tips or information that they feel would’ve been helpful for them to know earlier on in their pathway to healthcare, as well as any advantages they feel like they hold because of their rural backgrounds.”
When Mrs. Amanda Slocum, the Litchfield science teacher, took her science kids to a Health Careers Fair at UNK, she put her name on a sign up for teachers who wanted to introduce their students to health care opportunities. Then the president of NRHO Shea Jeffres reached out with information. This past Wednesday was the first influential meeting of many to come. When asked why she puts forth the extra effort, Slocum said “It’s important for our kids here at Litchfield to hear about diverse job opportunities in the field of science and learn from other’s lives. I want my kids to be inspired to follow their dreams.”
Malynn Boyles, a sophomore, reflected after the noon meeting. “During the lunch hour I got to experience a very exciting event involving healthcare. We were able to join a Zoom meeting including Shea Jeffers and Dr. Kathy Shall. Dr. Schall explained to us what it takes to become successful at her job as a pediatric surgeon. She talked us through two operations. This was very interesting to me because I love learning about new and exciting things in the medical field. Ever since I was a little kid I have known I want to go into the medical field,” said Boyles. “When I’m older my goal is to be able to be successful enough to talk to teenagers about my profession. I want to influence the younger generation into my career path. The meeting with the NHRO representatives really influenced me to want to think more about going into the medical field. I now want to study the different specialties within the healthcare system.”
Between science teachers who go the extra mile, Shea Jeffres and her amazing group of friends, the physicians, and medical experts, our rural kids are in great hands. With every meeting they are aware of the vast world of opportunities for their future.
New high schools are welcome to join NRHO at any point during the school year. School staff can email [email protected] with questions or to request to join the organization.
