My partnership with Karen Mantzouris through Southern Regional Area Health Education Center or SRAHEC provided a great opportunity for me to experience the real-world applications of health sciences. I saw how the doctors, nurses, pharmacy doctors and medical technologists work together  to help save lives.

This unique experience gave me an idea  to develop a curriculum that provides in-depth learning about  microbiology and health sciences. It also showed me how to motivate students to understand the importance of real-world applications beyond learning an 8th grade science curriculum – structures and functions of organisms.

After implementing the curriculum I wrote about health literacy, I realized that my students were able to see the importance of learning health sciences. My students were able to experience and appreciate real-world applications of health sciences and health literacy.

My Kenan Journey this summer was simply unforgettable.

The professional advancement at NCCAT taught me how to relax and reflect while learning new trends in teaching and learning.  I am ready for “augmented reality” science projects this coming school year. I am also ready to share everything I learned from NCCAT to my colleagues especially to the new and beginning teachers. I thought that the augmented reality session challenged me to flip my science class into a virtual reality class.

The professional advancement in Raleigh gave me more insights about generation crossroads that are working together in the school system. I thought that the “Boomers”, “X” and “Millennial” are the best “mix and match” of educators for the “Gen Z”. Likewise, aside from the generation gap, I also learned that culture definitely matters.

Most of all, my externship at the Southern Regional Area Health Education Center or SR-AHEC was a great avenue for me to learn real-world health science. I learned that health literacy is important in medical science. I also learned that limited health literacy is associated with poor health outcomes. With my real-world STEM and real-world health science experiences at SR-AHEC, I am ready to bring real-world STEM curriculum in my class.

This is another amazing externship week in SR-AHEC. I had the chance to learn about real-world  Medical lab with Judy, Kelly and Cassandra. These ladies taught me about the importance of accuracy and precision inside the medical lab.

Aside from the  amazing Medical lab ladies, I also had the chance to get to know about Max “the mean machine”. Max is an AU480  chemical analyzer in the lab. I did ask why the machine’s name is Max. They said that all laboratory chemical analyzers were named after men because the AU480 are so “needy” like men.

What an amazing week that was!

My journey with Kenan Fellows Program is full of “a-ha” moments. I started my journey as a “young” Kenan learning new technology applications, teaching strategies, new tricks and most of all learning new acronyms!

Here are the new acronyms that I learned during my externship at SR-AHEC:

SR-AHEC – Southern Regional Area Health Education Center; CME – Continuing Medical Education; AHA – American Health Association; EBP Center- Evidence-Based Practices; NICE – Nurses Interested in Continuing Education Program; ORPCE – Office of Regional Primary Care Education; PCMH – Patient Centered Medical Home; CMDT– Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment; RAP – resistance against pressure; DD – didactic lecture; PCMH – Patient Center Medical Home; EMR – Electronic Medical Record; P4P – Pay for Performance; ACGME – Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; PQRS – Physician’s Quality Reporting System; TLH – Teach, Learn and Heal.

I thought I would never learn about SR-AHEC.  I thought it was complicated to put everything about SR-AHEC in developing my curriculum. However, I am very fortunate that my mentor has been super supportive during my externship and also very hands-on in helping me to create a curriculum that is based on real-world STEM focusing on health literacy.

I had a great week with SR-AHEC Continuing Medical Education Department.  I had the chance to shadow a “Grand Rounds” at Cape Fear Valley Hospital headed by Dr. Fernando Gonzales from Duke University Hospital.  Dr. Gonzales presented a better treatment technology for patients with Cerebral Aneurysm to doctors, residents, Pharm doctors and nurses.

Another Continuing Medical Education session that I attended this week was about Forensic Dentistry.  The CME session was headed by Dr. Richard Barbaro. I thought that it was a great experience to learn how forensic dentistry is important in a particular crime scene.

With these great experiences with SR-AHEC,I find it very helpful in writing and developing a curriculum for 8th grade science. The lesson plan that I am currently developing will focus on health literacy, health care providers and health care consumers with real-world applications. I thought that my externship is a perfect match with my 8th grade science biology curriculum. I plan to teach this lesson during the second nine weeks (2nd Quarter).

This “selfie” was taken this week when I collaborated with the  Continuing Medical Education Department at SR-AHEC.  

This is when my mentor Karen Mantzouris and I were planning together in developing educational and marketing strategies for the Area Health Career Education Center or AHEC’s health careers and work force diversity program. This program works to improve the supply and distribution of health career workforce and to increase minority representation in the health profession in North Carolina.