2013 Mini-Med School

He's back!  Before becoming an emergency room doctor at Bellevue Hospital, Dr. Aaron Hultgren was a teacher!  Three years ago, he asked Principal Delois White if he could return to the classroom and teach a classroom full of 5th graders about the human body.  That was the beginning of PS4's Mini-Med school!  Click here for more information and a video about how this partnership began!

Three years later, Dr. Hulgren is now an Assistant Professor at NYU's School of Medicine (click here for his biography) and continues to work at Bellevue Hospital in the Emergency Medicine Department.  During a 5-unit course, 5th grade students learned about the musculoskeletal, pulmonary, cardiovascular, brain and nervous systems.  On January 25th, students visited the auditorium to simulate an operation where they were able to "build" a body.  Plans are currently being made for the Mini-Medical School Graduation Ceremony.  In the meantime, take a look at the slideshow below to see highlights from the simulated operation. 

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Class 520 Studies The Human Body With Dr. Hultgren

The boys and girls of class 520 have been learning about the human anatomy and preparing themselves for "surgery". That's right, thanks to the medical outreach program of Dr. Hultgren and the NYU/Bellevue Hospital, Class 520 is learned about medicine and how to be a physician. "It's great that they are being exposed to this type of stuff this early in their lives", said Mr. Wright, co - teacher of class 520. Ms. Schulman, who teaches with Mr. Wright, was just as satisfied with what the students were getting out of the program, "I like the way that they are engaged and paying real close attention to what they are being taught." The students have been taught about the heart, brain and lungs. They have even put together each of those body parts using Twizzlers, clay, and construction paper! 


"The reason why we are doing this is because we want them (the students) to be ready for their "surgery", said lead Doctor and teacher of the program, Dr. Hultgren. "I really like doing this. I enjoy working with children." Dr. Hultgren was a teacher before becoming an Emergency Room Doctor at Bellevue Hospital. On April, 30 at 9am, students were given certificates for their participation. If you missed the mock operation on channel 7 (ABC), click here to see it!