Justin A. practicing suture techniques (Courtesy/Dr. Lester)
After a 30-minute bus ride from Academy on Wednesday, April 17., we arrived at Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (HCOM) in Dublin.
Greeted by the directors, we received a surprise breakfast selection of muffins, sandwiches, and juices to get ready for a quick talk with Dr. Ben Bring‘03. After graduating from Denison in 2007, Bring received his medical degree from Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed his residency and fellowship at Riverside Methodist Hospital, and is now an accomplished family doctor. In addition, he is also Academy’s team physician, assisting athletes at school-affiliated athletic events in case of injuries.
Bring answered many of our questions, including “How do you balance your work-life balance?” and “What inspired you to become a doctor?” Then he led us downstairs to a classroom to teach us different methods of suturing. If you ever experienced an injury resulting in a large, open wound, you would need a surgical suture–or stitches–to bind the tissues back together and prevent bacteria from entering the wound. We learned four of the many types of suture patterns: simple uninterrupted, vertical mattress, horizontal mattress, and interlocking (pictured above). Each student got their own fake skin to practice on, and many of us succeeded in the stitching. My favorite stitch was the horizontal mattress, because that was the easiest one for me to do.
We then headed back upstairs for a live demonstration of spinal adjustment taught by two of HCOM’s fourth-year medical students. From my perspective, it was interesting to see how spinal adjustments work with little to no medical equipment. I never needed to see a chiropractor, but I often see videos on social media of spinal adjustments. So, it was fascinating to view a spinal adjustment in real life.
My classmates and I enjoyed the day, because we all have some sort of interest in health studies. There was never a dull moment during our visit to HCOM, for we were always intrigued by the day’s activities. As I have less than two weeks left at Academy, I am eager to attend college to study health sciences. While it is something that I always dreamed about studying, my visit to HCOM fills me with excitement about my potential future career.
