Louisville Orthopedic Offers Pre Med Internship to Teach College Students about a Career in Medicine

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Aug. 27, 2014 - PRLog -- Orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician Dr. Stacie Grossfeld believes very strongly in her role as a mentor to students interested in careers in medicine. As part of this commitment, Dr. Grossfeld offers educational opportunities to college students interested in pre medical and surgical training. This summer she enjoyed working closely with three college students at her orthopedic and sports medicine practice Orthopaedic Specialists, located in Louisville, Kentucky (see http://www.louisvillebones.com for info).

Allie Gutermuth from Vanderbilt University and Kelly Moors and Bailey Phillips from Centre College were the students participating in the pre med internship program. This training provides college students with a unique chance to learn a lot about all that is involved in a career in orthopedic and sports medicine.

As a 2013 graduate of Sacred Heart Academy, Allie Gutermuth is starting her sophomore year at Vanderbilt University majoring in Medicine, Health, and Society. She has had a long time interest in the field of medicine and is focused on some day becoming a surgeon. In her free time she likes to spend time with family. She also plays tennis and field hockey.

In order to begin setting some personal career goals, Allie decided that experiencing the medical field first hand would be beneficial so this summer she participated in the pre-med internship with Dr. Grossfeld at Orthopaedic Specialists in Louisville, Kentucky.

Reflecting on this opportunity to work with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stacie Grossfeld, Allie states: “My experience exceeded my expectations on every level. I was able to shadow her in her private practice and see how she interacts with her patients. She even took additional time out of her busy schedule to teach us how to sew sutures and read X-rays. In between patients, she spoke about her personal experience with balancing family and medicine, and she assured me that it is doable.”

This type of unique mentoring is very helpful to students considering a career in medicine. Getting an inside look at the life of an orthopedic surgeon helps aspiring pre-med students realize all that is possible while focusing in on their career goals. One of the things that Allie was most impressed by was the rapport that Dr. Grossfeld developed with her patients. Allie explains: “After spending time with her, it is obvious that Dr. Grossfeld has a magic touch with her patients, and they are enthralled with the way she effortlessly solves their problems and relates to them on such a personal level.”

Talking about things she learned during her pre-med student internship at Orthopaedic Specialists, Allie mentions the opportunity to learn much more about the surgical process.  Allie explains, “We were able to follow her into surgery and experience the process from beginning to end. We saw a range of procedures, such as rotator cuff repairs, knee scopes, hip and ankle fracture surgeries, and labral repairs.” Having a real-life understanding of these common orthopedic injuries offers students a learning experience that is much deeper than a standard textbook approach.

Similarly, biology major and Centre College student Bailey Phillips also has a keen interest in someday becoming a surgeon. As a student in the pre med program at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, Bailey’s advisor emphasized the importance of gaining real life experience by shadowing a physician.

Talking about her experience as a summer pre med intern at Orthopaedic Specialists, Bailey explains, “Interning with Dr. Grossfeld this year has been the biggest learning experience I have had. Dr. Grossfeld is not only an excellent physician but a great teacher as well. She takes the time to explain every diagnosis and procedure, no matter how complicated. By the end of my internship with her I was able to recognize some orthopedic ailments on x-rays, and understand the process of differential diagnosis.”

Dr. Grossfeld (see www.louisvillebones.com/grossfeld.htm) loves the opportunity to work with students and appreciates their curiosity and energy. She embraces her role as teacher and tries to share as much knowledge as she can with the students during their time at Orthopaedic Specialists. Talking specifically about this, Allie states, “Dr. Grossfeld explained the surgeries so we understood exactly what we were watching. Aside from being an incredible surgeon, she is also an amazing teacher, and I feel lucky that I was able to learn from her and work by her side.”

When she is not busy working as an orthopedic surgeon at Orthopaedic Specialists in Louisville, Kentucky, Dr. Grossfeld enjoys spending time playing tennis, riding her bike, and doing things with her family. Learn more about Dr. Grossfeld and her medical practice Orthopaedic Specialists at www.louisvillebones.com or call 502-212-2663 for additional info or to schedule an appointment.