When San Ysidro High School recently held its commencement ceremony, a small group of graduates wore something special around their necks: stethoscopes.

The students arent doctors at least not yet. But they have taken steps toward health care careers, completing the schools rigorous medical pathway curriculum of college-prep science courses. They worked as interns in hospitals and clinics, toured biotech labs, attended science fairs and put in hours of volunteer work teaching young children about eating right and keeping their teeth and gums healthy.

For video of a pig-dissection exercise at San Ysidro High School, visit utsandiego.com/medical-dreams

San Ysidro is one of 20 schools in San Diego County that are part of the Health and Science Pipeline Initiative, a statewide program for students looking to pursue careers in research and medicine. Educators, policymakers and professional health providers said this effort and others like it nationwide are crucial because without such exposure in high school, students too often fail in college science classes particularly anatomy and physiology.

They also see a booming demand for physicians, nurses and allied-health workers from radiology technicians to dental assistants to both replace baby boomers as they retire and serve those same peoples aging-related medical needs. Another factor fueling the growth of such jobs is the planned expansion of Medicaid under President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act of 2010.

At San Ysidro High, teacher Sheila Krotz launched the medical-themed curriculum in 2006 after coming to the Sweetwater Union School District with hopes of helping disadvantaged youth living in the cross-border area envision bigger things for themselves. As a former nurse, she had started a similar program in Illinois. She knew that if students find their coursework relevant, theyre more invested in learning the material and gain a sense of focus and purpose as they move through high school.

Krotz teaches medical biology to freshmen and anatomy and physiology to seniors, meaning she has the students twice in their four years at San Ysidro High.

Her classroom is filled with medical toys CPR training torsos; full-size medical mannequins; models of lungs, the heart, the stomach and the human eye; and even a fake leg for students to practice their suturing.

From the beginning, Krotz tries to set a professional tone. Students don scrubs or lab coats and purple surgical gloves when they conduct experiments. When dissecting fetal pigs during their freshman year, the students know they arent just cutting up an animal. They are told to treat the exercise as a surgery, suturing up the incisions after they have identified all the internal organs.

Not only does the program prepare students for college, it also offers practical job skills.

Go here to see the original:

A focus on medical instruction