MUSCATINE, Iowa–This winter, budding doctors, nurses, and medical examiners can button up their lab coats and learn more about the human body with the Muscatine Community Y’s upcoming session of Medical Detectives. A free eight-week program for students in sixth through eighth grade, Medical Detectives provides a fun and hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) experience for all involved.
In the fall of 2021, the Y held their fist Medical Detectives program thanks to a STEM Scale Up Grant. A statewide program, interested groups could apply for a grant to implement several different programs. Intrigued by what Medical Detectives had to offer, the Y wrote and received a grant for it, allowing them to have two of their staff members trained as facilitators and to receive all of the equipment needed to lead their first session of it. Though they will eventually need to replenish some of the materials for it, they can reuse some of the equipment for it for many sessions to come.
Over the course of eight weeks, students will get to test out medical technology and use it to diagnose conditions in fictional cases, dissect sheep brains to learn more about their anatomy, safely culture E.coli bacteria and use what they learn to solve a fictional food poisoning case, and much more. In the process, students will discover more about biology, the scientific method, working with data, and problem solving.
Students will follow the complete Project Lead the Way curriculum that underlies the course, but in a somewhat different format than they would in a classroom setting. “We’re doing all parts of the curriculum, it’s just a little lower key than when it’s in a class for a grade,” explained Character Development and Kid’s Club Director Amy Hessel.
After seeing how much kids learned from the first Medical Detectives session and how much they liked it, Hessel has high hopes for the success of the second session. “It’s always just fun to see the kids get excited about it,” she said.
Medical Detectives will take place at the Muscatine Community Y, located at 1823 Logan Street, Muscatine, each Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p. m. From Jan. 5, 2022 through Feb. 23, 2022. Though any student in grades six through eight may participate for free, Hessel does ask that their parents preregister them so that she can report on enrollment as part of the grant and to help hold participants accountable for coming each week. “We do encourage everybody to be there all eight weeks because each week builds off the last,” Hessel emphasized. Families may register online or by calling the Y at 563-263-9996 and asking for Hessel.
Whether your kid enjoys solving medical mysteries as much as House does, enjoys science, or is just looking for something new to try, Hessel knows they benefit from attending Medical Detectives. “They really do enjoy it!” she stressed.
