IDEAMed exposes local youth to careers in medicine

Participants in the IDEAMed program place casts on one another during their visit to the Whiddon College of Medicine.

This summer, children from a local branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs had the opportunity to attend “medical school” and learn about various aspects of medicine through hands-on experiences.  

They were part of a new program at the Whiddon College of Medicine called IDEAMed (Inspiring Diversity, Equity and Access to Medicine), founded by fourth-year medical students Gabrielle Brumfield and Taran Carrasco. 

Students learn to surgically repair fractures

in the simulation lab.

“We knew we wanted a program that focused on bridging the Whiddon College of Medicine with underserved and underrepresented children in our community,” Carrasco said. “Our goal was to expose children to careers in medicine, teach them important hands-on skills, and offer them mentorship.” 

Brumfield and Carrasco were inspired by their own experiences in the Whiddon College of Medicine’s DREAM program, an eight-week summer program for undergraduate students who are interested in practicing medicine in underserved communities and in addressing disparities in healthcare. “We both know firsthand how beneficial it is for programs like this to exist in our communities,” Carrasco said.  

IDEAMed was a year in the making, involving lots of planning and guidance from faculty members and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The two partnered with the Kiwanis branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama, who allowed them to visit on a weekly basis and interact with a group of 11- to 13-year-olds throughout the summer.  

Brumfield and Carrasco taught the students skills such as CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. The students also learned how to draw blood on an IV training device. Many medical students and student interest groups volunteered their time to teach about topics such as diabetes, pulmonary disease, cancer prevention and trauma settings. 

Several faculty-physicians organized and participated in sessions at the Boys & Girls Club, as well. For example, pediatric cardiologist Lynn Batten, M.D., taught the children about the cardiovascular system. Batten, a professor of pediatrics, also provided support to Brumfield and Carrasco throughout the development and implementation stages of the IDEAMed program.  

Felicia Wilson, M.D., a pediatric hematologist/oncologist and professor of pediatrics, brought goodies for the kids and talked to them about blood disorders. Christopher Musselwhite, M.D., an assistant professor of emergency medicine, taught the children how to perform a focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) exam. Trauma surgeon Maryann Mbaka, M.D., an assistant professor of surgery, asked the students to present scenarios and then educated them on how the trauma team would respond to each situation.  

Along with the OB/GYN Interest Group, Angela Moseley-Johnson, M.D., a resident in obstetrics and gynecology, taught the students how to suture. Anesthesiologist Eddrice McMullan, M.D., discussed the importance of vital signs and demonstrated how to take them.   

Zachary Todd, training specialist at the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama, said the children enjoyed being part of the program, practicing CPR and other lifesaving skills, and learning about what it takes to become a doctor. “I am grateful that the club members had the opportunity to learn about something that is the opposite of sports and that they found a great interest in medicine,” he said.  

Students prepare to apply their CPR skills during a
code simulation with Robin Bates, PA-C. 

For the program’s culmination, Brumfield and Carrasco arranged for the students to visit the Whiddon College of Medicine on July 24. As they toured the medical school, the kids wore white coats they were able to take home. 

During their visit, the students looked at bacteria under microscopes, led by Jonathon Audia, Ph.D., a professor of microbiology and immunology. Tyler McDonald, M.D., an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, and several orthopaedic residents brought supplies to the simulation lab for the kids to simulate surgical repair of fractures and place casts on one another. They also applied their CPR skills on mannequins during a code simulation with physician assistant Robin Bates, PA-C. 

After an afternoon of activities, the Whiddon College of Medicine hosted a graduation for the students. Each received a certificate and a notebook in which Brumfield, Carrasco and volunteers who interacted with the students had written positive comments each week. “Overall, it was a wonderful summer and the children, as well as us volunteers, learned so much,” Carrasco said. “We watched these young men and women grow in their confidence, find joy in learning, and ask intentional questions. We are so incredibly proud of this group.”  

“Future doctors Gabby and Taran have created and implemented a community engagement activity that exemplifies cultural competence, cultural humility and servant leadership,” said Franklin Trimm, M.D., associate dean for diversity and inclusion, and assistant vice president for medical affairs at the Whiddon College of Medicine. “Seeing a need, they turned it into an opportunity to serve and promote the growth of youth in our community who had limited to no prior exposure to healthcare. Through their efforts and the team they organized, they demonstrated possibilities for the children they weren’t aware of and helped build their self-confidence.” 

Brumfield and Carrasco will graduate from the Whiddon College of Medicine next May, but IDEAMed doesn’t have to end with their graduation. “Our goal is to pass the program to other medical students with similar passions,” Brumfield said. “We want the program to continue long after we graduate.”  

To support IDEAMed or to volunteer to be part of the program in the future, contact Gabby Brumfield at glb2021@jagmail.southalabama.edu or Taran Carrasco at tsc2023@jagmail.southalabama.edu.  

Taran Carrasco and Gabrielle Brumfield presented certificates to students who participated in the IDEAMed program.