OPERATION ORANGE: Youth experience day in the life of medical students

Jun. 5—The United States, the state of Oklahoma, and Indian Country are in need of more health care professionals, and the Oklahoma State University and Cherokee Nation are working together to inspire youth to enter into the medical field.

The partners hosted Operation Orange Friday, at the new OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, giving high school students a chance to spend a day in the life of a medical student. It was the first time for the event to be held at the new campus after construction was recently completed, and CN Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said it was a great inspiration for him to see a room full of young people interested in health care.

"It wasn't too long ago that health care for Indian people in this country was delivered by the United States through federal facilities. That still happens across the country and those are good facilities with wonderful men and women working in it, but imagine proud Indian nations that ought to be able to take care of themselves not being able to control their own health care destiny," Hoskin said. "And today, the Cherokee Nation not only has the biggest health care system in Indian Country — over a million patient visits a year in all of our system — but we are part of a solution to a great problem, a great challenge that this country has."

Studies have shown that the U.S. will be facing significant shortages in health care workers in the coming years. The solution may not be simple, but OSU and CN are working to be part of it, hoping to bring new professionals to rural communities in Oklahoma.

Dr. William Pettit, dean of OSUCOM at Cherokee Nation, said no matter what school a student may choose or attempt to get an education at, it's a win if they enter the medical field.

"Health care in Oklahoma, if you looked at the average number of physicians per 100,000 patients, we would have to — just to meet the national average — put 730 to 800 doctors in Oklahoma tomorrow," he said. "So whether they go to the University of Oklahoma, or to [the University of] Arkansas, we need physicians. So it's a win."

Students at Operation Orange were able to meet current OSU medical students, participate in hands-on demonstrations, study the human anatomy, perform intubation by using a simulator, and learn about career opportunities. And Pistol Pete, OSU's mascot, was even on hand to participate, as well.

Dr. Johnny Stephens said it was a great opportunity for students to get to know what medical school and the health care field in general is like, and encouraged the attendees to interact with one another and the current medical students who were there.

"I can tell you, it can be intimidating," he said. "These young people are high achievers and they're in the field. Don't be shy to walk up to them and talk to them. You'll get a feel of the community atmosphere we have."

The students broke into teams and were escorted around the facility for sessions on practices like suturing and chest compressions. They were able to learn about athletic training and see the correlation between concussions and a person's vision. And Northeastern State University was in attendance to talk with students about undergraduate admissions.

"It's about recruiting future physicians, but it may be, just by introducing them to health care, that you end up with a good nurse, a good athletic trainer, a physician assistant," said Pettit. "Certainly, we're a College of Osteopathic Medicine, so we'd like to see those young men and women who are qualified come to our medical school. But health care in Oklahoma is ranked very low in the United States and it isn't just physicians; it's everybody that's needed."

All OSU and CN can do is try to inspire young people to enter into health care. It's up to youth to take the opportunities they have to solve the ongoing shortage crisis. Hoskin said lives are depending on young people to take up the Hippocratic Oath, and in their lifetime they'll see diseases eradicated, health care techniques that haven't even been thought of yet, and witness professionals conquer future public health crises.

"The Cherokee Nation needs you, the country needs you, and rural Oklahoma needs you more than just about any other place in the country, because we have a shortage of doctors and nurses that is even more severe than the rest of the country," Hoskin said. "That's why Oklahoma State University is the greatest partner that the Cherokee Nation has when it comes to health care, because we are helping solve this problem. We can only do it if you help, and you're here to help."

Check it out

For more information about Operation Orange or the OSU Center for Health Sciences, visit medicine.okstate.edu.