LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Applications are now being accepted for the 2017 Perry Outreach Program, a free hands-on experience for female high school students as well as women currently enrolled in medical school who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine and engineering. The program, locally sponsored by the Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), is part of the Perry Initiative’s national mission to inspire young women to be leaders in these fields and to foster their understanding of and appreciation for the career that may lie ahead.
The Medical Student Outreach Program will be held on April 21 on the OIC campus in downtown Los Angeles and is intended for women in their first or second year of medical school who are undecided about specialty choice or have expressed interest in exploring a career in orthopaedics. That evening participants will hear lectures from local women surgeons, network with industry leaders, and perform hands-on skills modules and mock orthopaedic surgeries.
On April 22 young women from high schools (grades 10 and above) will attend a one-day program where they will hear from women leaders in the fields of medicine and engineering and will get hands-on experience by performing mock orthopaedic surgeries and biomechanics exercises.
Despite the increasing number of women entering medical and graduate school, women make up only 6.1 percent of fully accredited practicing orthopaedic surgeons according to a 2014 survey by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Only 12.4 percent of the faculty at engineering schools is women, with that percentage being lower for mechanical engineering. In the face of these numbers, the Perry Initiative was created in 2009 in honor of Dr. Jacquelin Perry, one of the first female orthopaedic surgeons in the country and a mentor to countless women and men in the field throughout her celebrated career, which spanned from 1952 to 2013. The program taking place at OIC is one of 30 such programs conducted throughout the year by the Perry Outreach Program, which to date has touched more than 4,000 students nationwide.
“We are delighted to once again be the Los Angeles host site for this prestigious program which is so important in encouraging young women to consider entering these important specialties,” said Dr. Jennifer Beck, associate director of the Center for Sports Medicine at OIC.
“The students who participate have repeatedly expressed how this experience opens their eyes to the incredible opportunities that await and inspires them to pursue careers that are not only personally fulfilling but have a meaningful impact on the lives of many,” added Dr. Rachel Goldstein, assistant clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Applicants for the program should be women in grades 10 and up with an expressed interest in science, medicine and/or engineering. Additional information can be found at www.perryinitiative.org, and the application to apply can be found at perryinitiative.org/programs/student-online-application/. Application deadline is March 22.
About Orthopaedic Institute for Children
Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) was founded in 1911 as Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital. Focused solely on musculoskeletal conditions in children, Orthopaedic Institute for Children receives 60,000 patient visits each year. In alliance with UCLA Health and with the support of the OIC Foundation, we advance pediatric orthopaedics worldwide through outstanding patient care, medical education and research. Our locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Westwood and Calexico treat the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedic disorders and injuries. For more information, visit us at ortho-institute.org.
About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s hospital in California and among the top 10 in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States.
Children’s Hospital is also one of America’s premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California since 1932. For more information, visit CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram; or visit the institution’s child health blog (www.WeTreatKidsBetter.org) or its research blog (www.ResearCHLABlog.org).
