Orthopedic Medicine Externship for Area Students Addresses Disparity in the Field

CENTERVILLE, Ohio (August, 23 2022) – Premier Health and Premier Orthopedics recently held a weeklong orthopedic medicine externship and a one-day workshop for area high school and college students at Miami Valley Hospital South in Centerville. The externship not only introduces students to the medical field at an early age, but also addresses the disparity in gender and race within orthopedics by encouraging female and minority students to explore the possibility of a career in the field. 

The externship program was launched last year and the interest from area students was exceptional. This year, a workshop was added so a greater number of students could experience the program and learn about the field of orthopedics. 

“This externship program offers women and minority students in Dayton the unique opportunity to learn more about the field of orthopedic medicine,” said Michael Herbenick, MD, a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at Premier Orthopedics. “Adding the workshop is our way of including more students in the educational opportunities.”    

During the externship, students gained hands-on experience including surgery instrument demonstrations; lab work; and educational talks from orthopedic surgeons, spine surgeons, and sports medicine physicians. 

“I have worked in health care for more than 15 years as a hospital administrator, and I have not had the opportunity to be as hands-on with the surgical instruments as the students were able to be over the course of the externship and the weekend workshop,” said William “BJ” Krech III, system director of orthopedic and surgery services for Premier Health. “It truly is tremendous exposure for high school students to experience what many medical students and resident physicians are experiencing for the first time at their level of training.”

If you would like more information about orthopedic medicine externship program, please contact, William Krech at wjkrech@premierhealth.com.

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