Collab Lab 15: Healthcare Connections

How can we provide K12 students with opportunities to explore real world healthcare issues that have meaning for them?

In our conversations we’ve found a number of individuals and organizations in healthcare looking for ways to engage K12 student in real world projects. We’ve also talked with a number of educators looking for ways to heathcare related topics into authentic learning experiences. Let’s explore what folks are already doing, look for opportunities that have been missed and see what we can come up to provide engaging experiences to more students.

Our aim in this Collab Lab is to map out the the areas of interest for individuals and organizations in healthcare, the capabilities schools and students could bring to bear in collaborative efforts, and what it might take to allow that to happen.

To prime your thinking:

• Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin are making 3D prints of tumors. What more might they be able to do if they could tap into schools’ ability to create 3D prints?
• Can we leverage schools and students to collect environmental data across Milwaukee and explore those implications for public health?
• How/where can we tie community engaged health care research into curriculum?

Come share ideas with your colleagues at public, private, and charter schools from across greater Milwaukee, as well as some folks outside of K12 who offer an interesting perspective on the topic.

Agenda

5:30 – 6:00 Grab something to eat and drink, say hello

6:00 – 8:30 Let’s learn from each other

Food and beverage will be provided. There is no charge for participation but space is limited!

Featured Participants

Among others, you’ll have a chance to talk with:

Christopher J Simenz, PhD, NSCA CSCS*D- Clinical Professor,
Department of Physical Therapy- Programs in Exercise Science, Marquette University

Dr. Simenz currently works in a collaborative research team using community engaged research (CEnR) to study wellness, health systems navigation, obesity reduction/prevention, food security, systems change and physical activity focused primarily on under-served populations in Milwaukee’s central city. Currently, he is an administrative team member in the Healthy Wisconsin Partnership Programs Response to Intervention (RtI) grant, programming physical activity interventions for students with obesity and related comorbidities in central city schools. Additionally, he is researching the effects of fall prevention programming on wellness variables and balance in central-city Hmong and SE Asian seniors. Previously, Dr. Simenz served on the administrative team of the Milwaukee Childhood Obesity Prevention Project (MCOPP) (www.uncom-milw.org/mcopp ), engaged in addressing policy change in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, land use, and education to reduce the incidence of obesity and related comorbidities in the Milwaukee area.

Jennifer Tarcin – Menomonee Falls High School Healthcare Academy Coordinator; Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Community Memorial Hospital Healthcare Career Academy Faculty Liaison

Jennifer and her team created the Healthcare Academy in 2011 to bring the industry to life for students at Menomonee Falls High School. They created a small learning community bringing together students from a variety of backgrounds to foster relationships based upon their common career interest in healthcare. Well-crafted essential questions provide the framework for curricular integration while community partnerships enhance and personalize student learning.

In just a few short years, the program has grown from 30 students to over 150 students and has earned national certification from the National Career Academy Coalition.

Jonathan Wertz — Director of Clinical Risk Management, Medical College of Wisconsin

Jon’s work involves helping Medical College physicians, nurses and advanced practice providers provide care to their patients in a safe and effective way. He helps providers work through the different types of challenges that can arise as they do their work. Before joining the Medical College, Jon worked as a litigation attorney at the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich. Prior to attending law school, he worked as a registered nurse in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit at Aurora-Sinai Medical Center in downtown Milwaukee.

Jon has become more and more interested in education as he’s watched his son and two daughters grow up and work in various educational settings. His oldest daughter currently attends a boarding school, his younger daughter is home-schooled and his son attends the neighborhood public school. Jon has been working with Escuela Verde for about a year and a half, setting up opportunities for students to learn about health professions and healthcare in an academic medical center. These opportunities involve introducing students to providers and allowing them to hear what these professionals do and what motivated them to become educated in healthcare. The interactions are most successful when the students can see and understand how the professionals put their knowledge into use to solve real-life challenges. He’s interested in finding ways to spark the interest of young people with diverse backgrounds who might not know what opportunities are available in healthcare or who might not see higher education as an option.

Kristina Kaljo, PhD — Assistant Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin

Kristina Kaljo, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor and Co-Director for the Third-Year Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Student Clerkship at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW).

Prior to beginning at the MCW, Dr. Kaljo was a member of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) and a middle school classroom teacher. During this period, she established a professional practice deep-rooted in culturally responsive pedagogy, which assures that every learner, regardless of age, class, gender, or background receives the most culturally responsive learning experience.

Currently at MCW, Dr. Kaljo has bridged her expertise of curriculum development and evaluation with educational and community engaged research to the field of medical education. Dr. Kaljo has also created and facilitated a sexual and behavioral wellness curriculum with a local urban high school to address unintended pregnancies and high rates of sexually transmitted infections as they relate to reduced risk-taking behavior and improved health outcomes.

The Collab Lab will be held in the innovation space at Ward 4, 333 North Plankinton Avenue, Milwaukee, WI. Space provided courtesy of The Commons.