When students in Mr. Hawkins鈥� Anatomy: Surgery & Salad class stepped into earlier this month, they weren鈥檛 just on an expedition 鈥� they were stepping into the future of medicine. The course title itself gives context to their learning journey: 鈥淪urgery鈥� represents the exploration of the body鈥檚 systems and functions, while 鈥淪alad鈥� symbolizes the study of the nutrients needed to sustain and optimize those systems. By blending these two perspectives, the class equips students with a holistic understanding of how the human body works 鈥� and how science and innovation are shaping its care.
鈥淭his course is all about making anatomy come alive,鈥� said Mr. Hawkins, Upper School science teacher. 鈥淲e want students to see how what we鈥檙e learning in class connects to the real world. Experiences like this give them a chance to explore the intersections of medicine, technology, and innovation 鈥� and maybe even discover a future career path.鈥�
Mr. Hawkin鈥檚 students鈥� journey was guided by Dr. Mike Champney, a Northside Hospital general surgeon, who led the expedition at Intuitive Surgical, located in Peachtree Corners. The company specializes in robotic surgery, a cutting-edge, minimally invasive technique that uses advanced robotic systems to extend the precision and capabilities of skilled surgeons.
Under Dr. Champney鈥檚 guidance, students began the day exploring the history and evolution of surgery 鈥� from early techniques to today鈥檚 high-tech operating rooms 鈥� gaining perspective on how rapidly the field continues to advance. They watched a live gallbladder removal performed using Intuitive鈥檚 da Vinci Surgical System, observing the precision and skill required in a real operating room.
The experience became even more immersive when some students had the opportunity to practice on a human simulator, a highly realistic model that included fluid sacs, veins, and blood vessels. Using the robotic arms, other students performed tasks like threading a ring through a miniature obstacle course and placing rubber bands around a penny 鈥� exercises designed to mimic the dexterity and focus needed for real surgeries.
For many students, the experience was transformative.
鈥淭his hands-on experience gave us insight into the future of surgery and the intersection of robotics and biology in the operating room,鈥� said Haris Flynn. 鈥淭hanks to Dr. Champney and the Intuitive team, we鈥檙e now equipped to use a multi-million-dollar biotechnology system! Who knows 鈥� you might see a few MV students at the helm of a da Vinci machine in a couple of years.鈥�
Lizzie Park had a similar reaction, though with a twist:
鈥淚 loved this experience! It was so cool to see live footage of a surgery and try out real operating technology. For a second, I was rethinking my musical theater major,鈥� she joked. 鈥淏ut after I popped a few arteries on the simulation trying to remove a gallbladder, I realized it might not be for me! Even so, this connected everything we鈥檝e been learning in class and gave me a new appreciation for the digestive system unit we鈥檙e about to start.鈥�
Matty Jenci added:
鈥淭he trip helped deepen my understanding of anatomy and gave me a new perspective on how hard doctors and surgeons work to help their communities. The hands-on learning was refreshing compared to a regular classroom.鈥�
Dr. Champney hopes experiences like this will inspire the next generation of innovators:
鈥淢edicine is advancing quickly, and robotic surgery is just one example of how technology is transforming patient care,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to see students engaging with these tools so early in their education.鈥�
This Mod 1 experience is just the beginning. Later this year, Anatomy students will revisit the course during Mod 4鈥檚 Subdermal Warfare, where they鈥檒l explore the effects of diseases on the human body. By weaving real-world experiences into rigorous academic learning, 糖心原创 is helping students make deeper connections, ignite passions, and discover their purpose.
鈥淭rips like this are exactly what we envision when we talk about preparing students for the future,鈥� said Mr. Hawkins. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e creators and designers of tomorrow 鈥� and we want to give them every opportunity to explore where their curiosity can take them.鈥�
