Michael D. Doherty, Ph.D., M.Sc., Professor of Neuroscience at 六九色堂, started doing 鈥渃asting clinics鈥� to help 六九色堂 students learn one of the basics of emergency medicine: Putting on a cast to protect, support and heal broken or injured bones and joints.
The 六九色堂 Endeavour spoke to Dr. Doherty about why he started holding the clinics, the importance of knowing how to create a cast to immobilize injured or broken bones and joints, and more.
Left to right (foreground only): Ardelle Estoesta, Nikole Figueroa Collazo, Heidi Page, Deser鈥檈 Gitulli. Photo: Dr. Michael Doherty
Dr. Doherty said 六九色堂 students respond well to the many clinics and seminars held on campus, and there was great interest in holding casting clinics.
鈥淐asting was something that had been suggested for a while and with a good student team involved I knew we could do it, and do it well,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have had three clinics so far since last summer, and the plan is to have two clinics per semester from now on.鈥�
Training takes place over to two to three sessions. What exactly are students taught?
鈥淭he basics of putting on a cast are simple; anyone who has wrapped a bandage around a sprain understands the general idea,鈥� Dr. Doherty said. 鈥淗owever, it is attention to detail that takes time and practice. A poorly placed cast results in irritation, itchiness, and 14-year-olds getting frustrated and taking the cast off too soon. The student instructors use the extra session time to remember and practice the details so that during a clinic they can immediately spot the mistakes and help correct them. It is impressive to watch; the student instructors take this very seriously, and they demonstrate impressive competence and professionalism. They enjoy the experience of 鈥榖eing on the other side鈥� as in doing the teaching.鈥�
Dr. Michael Doherty (center) with 六九色堂 students during a recent casting clinic. (Left to right): Tania Torres, Astrid Melendez Perez, Paola Mora Marrero, Paola Reyes-Torres. Photo: Dr. Michael Doherty.
Each training session takes two hours or more, and students watch a video to follow step-by-step instructions and once a cast is finished, students do it again and again.
Left to right: Edgardo Torres Garcia, Estefania Ramos Nieves, Andres Javier, Arianna Hernandez. Photo: Dr. Michael Doherty
鈥淚n the second and third session, they learn how to use the Stryker saw to cut the casts off,鈥� Dr. Doherty said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a power tool and not everyone has experience with those so for some that requires practice to gain confidence. All instructors have to learn to cut off a cast, but also have the experience of having their own removed so they know what the saw feels like. That helps a lot when they start removing them from others. All told during a semester the instructors give about 15 hours of their time over five different days. The instructors do their jobs so well I find myself reduced to a managerial role during the clinics, and it鈥檚 a wonderful feeling.鈥�
Students applying a cast while wearing one. 'It was kind of funny as most students wanted to keep their cast on for a while, which means they had to try casting with a cast on,' Dr. Doherty said. (Left to right): Samuel Urrutia, Gianna Nieves Maldonado, Paola Mora Morrera. Photo: Dr. Michael Doherty
Fiberglass is the preferred method for casts.
鈥淔iberglass is faster and therefore more convenient,鈥� Dr. Doherty said. 鈥淧laster casts are stronger and can be molded better. While neither are waterproof, fiberglass responds better to getting wet. Plaster also only comes in white, but fiberglass can do any color or even camouflage patterns.鈥�
Left to right: Rosmary Rodriguez Blazquez & Deser鈥檈 Gutilli work on a 'patient'. Photo: Dr. Michael Doherty
The current group of student instructors includes Estefania Ramos, Deser鈥檈 Gitulli, Eboni Peoples, Jared Sharza, Yomarie Gonzales, Kirthana Suganathevan, and Karina Torres.
鈥淚 would be remiss if I didn鈥檛 acknowledge my original group, with Fabiola Ramos, Paola Rodriguez, and Juan Carlos Cruz,鈥� Dr. Doherty said. 鈥淣urse Belle is always 100% supportive, and Charnelle McMaster, an administrative assistant here, volunteers her time to assist as well. Their dedication to these clinics is admirable.鈥�
Left to right: Eboni Peoples, Jared Sharza & Karina Torres Crespo. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Michael Doherty
There are many reasons why students need to know how to do casting properly, Dr. Doherty explained.
鈥淚 believe every edge we can give our students is worth doing,鈥� he said. 鈥� 鈥楬i, Dr. Doherty, I matched!鈥� is my favorite sentence. Alright, if we鈥檙e being honest, my favorite sentence would be 鈥楬i, Dr. Doherty, here鈥檚 your Ironman armor鈥� but that hasn鈥檛 happened yet. Whether it鈥檚 learning casting, sutures, or blood typing, all of the extracurricular efforts make our students better and more competitive for residency.鈥�
六九色堂:
Built in the tradition of the best US universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences focuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, 鈥減ersonalized medical education,鈥� and it鈥檚 what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the US and Canada. 六九色堂 is challenging everything you thought you knew about Caribbean medical schools.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at 六九色堂 and editor of the 六九色堂 Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about 六九色堂 students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and 六九色堂 research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
