Sinai Hospital, Baltimore City Public schools partner for program teaching students about medical field

BALTIMORE - A magnet school program between Sinai Hospital and Baltimore City Public Schools allows students to start exploring potential medical careers as early as sixth grade. 

The program launched virtually in the 2020/2021 school year due to the covid pandemic.

But now, this is the first full academic year for the program with in-person visits, classes and tours.

On Tuesday, cardiologist Dr. Sunal Makadia, from Lifebridge Health showed Pimlico Middle School students how he would apply a stint to save someone's life if they're having a heart attack.

 "Everyone was focused, they participated, they asked great questions," Dr. Makadia said.

Seventh graders learned about cardiology for the Pimlico Middle Grades Health Sciences program. 

 "We learned how quickly our hearts can increase capacity so we did little exercises in the class we saw how quickly the heart goes from rest to exercise," Dr. Makadia said. "We did an ultrasound, we saw how a stint goes into the heart."

"I learned that we can be healthy by not smoking and staying calm," seventh-grader Apreyer Mitchell said.

Down the hall, dietician Melissa Kintslinger, from Northwest Hospital, gave a demonstration to eighth graders in the program who are learning about the endocrine system. 

The three-year health sciences program is administered in partnership with Lifebridge Health, Sinai Hospital and Baltimore City Public Schools.

Students who participate can take advanced science classes to prepare them for medical or health-related careers. 

 "I think it was really great to expose them to a different field that they might have not been familiar with," Kintslinger said.

"They get some exposure in school and they have a professional come in here and explain things in real terms, so I thought that was cool," Dr. Makadia said.

The program gives students hands-on learning opportunities through field trips to Sinai hospital and school visits from real professionals. 

"It helps me learn it because I'm a very curious person," eighth-grader Grace Nyembo said. "So getting to ask questions to a real professional who does this type of job, it really does help with my curiosity and to know stuff."

Students in the program told WJZ it helps them explore different paths and get a clear vision for their future.

"I started this in sixth-grade," Nyembo said. "When the program first opened up at Pimlico, they said I could explore different careers in the medical field."

"It helps me because it gets me focused on what are my goals for my future," Mitchell said.

Other speakers this academic year include a pediatrician, psychiatrist and facilities vice president.

Program officials told WJZ plans are underway to open a similar program at Green Street Academy.