| Rieman
reports from Boston
“I want to be a doctor even more now that I’ve been to Boston and know a bit more about what a medical student and a doctor does,” said Conner Rieman a Prairie High School senior who recently attended a ten day National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine in Boston. “I just don’t know what type of doctor I’d like to be. Family practice, surgeon, pediatrics; it would be hard to pick just one at this point.” 
Rieman is hoping to enter medical school some time after college graduation. He has already earned some college credits by taking advanced placement courses at PHS. While in Boston, Rieman watched a knee replacement surgery teleconferenced from a hospital on the west coast. “The surgeon was explaining the procedure while he was doing it. He was also taking questions from the students as he was working. Afterwards another doctor was available to answer additional questions,” said Rieman. “It was awesome.” The forum attracted 400 students from around the nation and some from other countries, too. They were divided into groups of 20. “I got to know the other students in my group because I spent about 17 hours a day with them. I hope to keep in touch with some of them. There were actually three students from Idaho, but I was the only one from a small town.” The students were also told about a simulated ‘patient’ with a certain constellation of symptoms. They were given access to computers to research and decide upon a diagnosis and develop a plan of care. In addition, the groups were given a debate topic, universal health care, then asked to develop the pros and cons for each side. “It was great meeting medical students who gave us great advice,” said Rieman. “I’d really like to thank St. Mary’s Hospital and the people that work there for helping make the trip possible. I’ve received a lot of very valuable advice from people in Cottonwood. Everyone in this community has been so supportive.” Rieman has been doing odd jobs around the area to help pay for his trip and to save for college. He received a $300 scholarship from the Safe and Drug Free Schools program and a $500 Health Workforce mini grant from the State Office of Rural Health. He is also working some hours at SMH as a CNA. If you are interested in hiring Rieman for odd jobs this summer or part time after school starts he can be reached at 962-3741. |
 |