GREEN BAY (WLUK) — A group of young girls visited Aurora BayCare Medical Center Friday to explore the opportunities of STEAM and learn how surgical robots are used in the medical field.
The event was part of the YWCA Greater Green Bay’s “TechGYRLS” — a program which seeks to empower young girls and encourage them to pursue careers within science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
TechGYRLS collaborates with area businesses and organizations to bring participants on field visits, led by women who work within the STEAM industries, and provide hands-on experiences for the attendees.
During Friday’s workshop at Aurora BayCare Medical Center, gynecologic oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Dickson Michelson and other staff members introduced the girls to the world of robotic surgery and cutting-edge medical technology.
It’s more and more acceptable for women to go into math, science, technology, but anything that we can to do help girls and young women figure out, ‘Okay, what could I do with what I know and what I’m interested in?’ said Dr. Dickson Michelson. “And how it’s something they can then see moving on in their careers and using. So anything of this stuff that we can do to bring to the community, show them how they can use what they’re learning now later in life, is definitely worth it.
Dr. Dickson Michelson said one of the highlights of the event was giving the girls a chance to play with a da Vinci surgical robot, the same technology that she uses in the operating room.
The robot gives surgeons better vision, precision and control, enabling medical professionals to advance the possibilities of minimally invasive care.
“We brought all the different things that go with using the intuitive da Vinci robot, so we can actually have them see how the robot actually works with patients. And they can actually play on the robot, use different tools, do different games, things like that. So we can kind of show them what it would actually be like to do a surgery,” Dr. Dickson Michelson explained.
Girls from third grade to eighth grade can participate in TechGYRLS. Visit the YWCA Greater Green Bay website to learn more or to register.