Media Contact: Sandra VanTelephone: 1-800-880-2397E-mail: [email protected]
LOS ANGELES (April 17, 2002) -- Students from several Los Angeles area schools will have an opportunity on May 1 to perform "simulated" brain surgery using a "real-life" teaching tool developed by the manufacturer of computer-assisted, surgical navigation equipment. The activity is just one aspect of the fifth annual Brainworks program hosted by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute for seventh- and eighth-grade students with an interest in science. As part of this year's Brainworks, students will also:
* Observe as tissue samples are prepared for the laboratory* Examine sheep's brains* Participate in rehabilitation role-playing with wheel chairs* Meet the hospital's canine pet therapists* And much more
Brainworks will be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1. Surgeons, scientists, physicians, social workers, therapists, nurses and other members of the team from the Institute and several hospital departments will share their insights with 130 students who have an interest in science.
"We developed the idea of Brainworks in 1997 to help young people discover the excitement that comes from scientific research, the reward of applying research skills to solving medical problems, and the satisfaction that comes from helping patients," said Keith L. Black, M.D., neurosurgeon and Institute founder and director. "We enjoy giving the students an introduction to the various studies we have going on, and we offer quite a few hands-on activities to hold their attention and engage their minds.
"It's often difficult for young people to see how their school work matters in the long run," said Dr. Black, who also directs the medical center's Division of Neurosurgery and the Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program. "Our hope is that by helping students find that science can be fun as well as challenging, many will consider pursuing careers in research, medicine and healthcare."
At Brainworks, students will watch as tissue samples are prepared for laboratory exams, and get a close look at the brains of sheep. They will also have access to a teaching tool developed by the manufacturer of computer-assisted, surgical navigation equipment. It consists of a ball, representing a tumor, within a gel, simulating brain tissue. As the students attempt to extract the ball from the gel, they develop a better understanding of the challenged neurosurgeons encounter during actual operations on the brain.
Another activity is designed to help students understand the challenges faced by patients who have suffered neurological illness or injuries, and the efforts of rehabilitation specialists to help them relearn skills. To make their experiences more realistic and memorable, the students will use wheelchairs and other equipment to play the roles of patients and therapists.
Each student attending Brainworks will be able to have his or her picture taken with Dr. Black and meet many members of the professional team at the Institute and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Team members will explain surgical procedures for removing a brain tumor, discuss the different uses of surgical instruments, and show how the brain is imaged using magnetic resonance, CT scans and angiograms. Paul Zeltzer, M.D., will talk on neuro-oncology, the use of medications to fight cancers of the nervous system.
In addition to meeting the human professionals, the students will meet dogs that are part of the medical center's pet therapy program. The specially trained canines provide companionship, stress reduction and wagging tails that are a welcome addition to a patient's day.
The Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute covers all costs related to Brainworks and provides lunch for each participant. Teachers at several independent schools and others in the Los Angeles Unified School District select the students invited to attend. Although most come from disadvantaged communities, Dr. Black and the Brainworks organizers hope the students will realize that careers in science and medicine can be within their reach.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is one of the largest non-profit academic medical centers in the Western United States. For the fifth straight two-year period, Cedars-Sinai has been named Southern California's gold standard in health care in an independent survey. Cedars-Sinai is internationally renowned for its diagnostic and treatment capabilities and its broad spectrum of programs and services, as well as breakthrough in biomedical research and superlative medical education. Named one of the 100 "Most Wired" hospitals in health care in 2001, the Medical Center ranks among the top 10 non-university hospitals in the nation for its research activities.
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