HARDEEVILLE, S.C. (WSAV) — A local hospital is showing off its technology to try and draw in the “next generation” of doctors, nurses and more.
Coastal Carolina hospital is educating students today on the possibilities of a career in the medical field as well as what tools there are for them to use now and in the future.
“Now what I want you to do is stretch that rubber band out.”
Students from Ridgeland Hardeeville High are watching a demonstration, a simulated surgery, all using the hands of a robot.
It’s part of a day-long program designed to give students a look at the new side of medicine.
Ryan Lee, CEO of Coastal Carolina Hospital told News 3, “Technology in health care has greatly increased, so as we talk about our students and their futures it’s not just doctors and nurses we need techs in the or, we need suppliers and manufacturers for new equipment. So it’s full service.”
Coastal Carolina invited kids from 4 different local schools to tour the hospital. To show them what is being done outside of the emergency room and that there are jobs that don’t involve going to medical school.
“I think it’s really important to understand for our students that there are great career opportunities that allow them to stay right here in Jasper County,” Lee said. “And we get to keep them here, right where they grew up.”
The students even got to “play” with this life-saving equipment themselves. Students witnessed a hands-on demonstration of a potential future career.
Science teacher Frederick Toomer explained, “Sometimes we think of a medical career as just a doctor or a nurse but this gives them other avenues to think about.”
He continued, “They are able to relate it to playing games or VR so it’s not something totally foreign to them. It’s something they can apply and possibly relate to.”
“I wanted the kids to have an opportunity to see something in real life, in real-time. That they have been learning about or might get a chance to learn about in the future and see it applied,” he said.
It’s a real life example of a job that combines the medical and virtual worlds to potentially save lives.
“How’s that feel Robert?”
“Pretty cool.”
“Fantastic.”
While careers are important the community was also invited to come in during this open house. So they can see this technology, see what surgical options are available, and hopefully take away some of that fear before they step back into the hospital.