Sikeston students attend mini medical school in Columbia

Charles Jones is hown a procedure during the second session of High School Mini Medical School.

COLUMBIA - For two area students, the phrase "playing doctor" took on a whole new meaning recently.

Charlie Jones and Anna McReynolds, both of Sikeston, attended the second session of High School Mini Medical School held earlier this month at the University of Missouri - Columbia.

The students at each session of Mini Medical School heard lectures on a variety of medical topics from plastic surgery to neonatology. With most of the instruction being hands-on, the students studied the basics of splinting and sutures, along with learning how to do physical exams. They also studied gross anatomy with human cadavers.

"It doesn't seem hard because it's so interesting, but it's a lot of work," McReynolds said. Along with their daily studies, the students spent about two hours every night doing research.

All of the instruction is done through problem-based learning, a small-group process where the students learn about medical cases through research, discussion, and teaching each other.

"You're responsible for what you learn," McReynolds said. "This is basically what medical school is actually like at Mizzou now. It's a really cool way to learn."

At the end of the session on Thursday, the students "graduated" from Mini Medical School. They were also able to take their own stethoscopes and reflex hammers home as souvenirs of their experience.

"It gave me a really good idea of what medical school will be like," McReynolds said.

"I didn't come in thinking I would like it or not because I didn't know what to expect, but I did. We've all got a lot out of it," Jones said.