View Larger Image Group photo of high school students who attended an anesthesia workshop in Northwest Arkansas

UAMS Northwest Hosts Hands-On Anesthesiology Workshop for High School Students

By David Wise

| Eighteen ninth-grade students from five different Northwest Arkansas school districts — Bentonville, Farmington, Fayetteville, Siloam Springs and Springdale — gathered Saturday, May 14, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Northwest Regional Campus for an immersive educational experience.

Designed to introduce students to the dynamic field of anesthesiology through a full day of hands-on learning, the Exploring Anesthesiology Workshop for High School Students event was co-sponsored by the UAMS Department of Neuroscience, Department of Anesthesiology and UAMS Northwest Regional Campus.

Spearheaded by Kevin D. Phelan, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and director of the AR Tech DaSH program, Faiza A. Khan, M.D., an associate professor of anesthesiology, and Ana Sanchez, the education coordinator with the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, the workshop brought together faculty and medical students in a collaborative effort to inspire the next generation of medical professionals.

Participants rotated through a series of interactive stations that covered a wide spectrum of anesthesiology and neuroscience topics. Highlights included:

  • Human Anatomy and Virtual Dissection: Students explored plastinated human specimens and used a virtual dissector to study peripheral nerves — key targets for regional anesthesia.
  • Ultrasound-Guided Techniques: Attendees practiced identifying nerves in standardized patients and performed simulated needle injections using Blue Phantom models.
  • Sensory Physiology Exploration: Students experimented with two-point discrimination and cold exposure to mimic the effects of local anesthetics.
  • Cadaveric Brain Examination: Learners got a close-up look at human brain specimens to identify major structures.
  • Airway Management Simulation: Using a manikin, students learned intubation techniques and practiced monitoring vital signs using stethoscopes.
  • Suturing Skills: Simulated skin models gave students a chance to try their hand at basic surgical suturing.
  • Team-Based Anesthesia Simulation: A group scenario demonstrated how anesthesiologists work as a team during surgical procedures.

The event featured support from a dedicated team, including AR Tech DaSH education coordinator Sandra Perez, medical students Justin Long, Kevin Zhao and Chris Key, and AR Tech DaSH 10th-grade STEM Ambassadors Prashita Rao, Leslie Reyes and Andrea Richards. Kristen Hoover, a student in the UAMS College of Nursing, and Kaleb Kovitch, an incoming student in the UAMS College of Medicine, participated as standardized patients, enhancing the realism of clinical simulations.

A key moment of the day was a virtual appearance by Faiza A. Khan, M.D., an associate professor of anesthesiology, who joined from the UAMS Little Rock campus. She offered insights into various types of anesthesia — including local, regional, sedative and general — and conducted a tour of an empty surgical suite. A key moment of the day was a virtual appearance by Khan, who joined from the UAMS Little Rock campus. She offered insights into various types of anesthesia — including local, regional, sedative and general — and conducted a tour of an empty surgical suite. Her detailed explanation of the equipment, monitoring systems and safety protocols used in anesthesiology provided students with a real-world view of operating room procedures.

“The workshop underscored UAMS’s commitment to community engagement, mentorship and early exposure to health care careers,” Phelan said. “By offering high school students the opportunity to explore anesthesiology in a structured, supportive environment, the event aimed to spark curiosity and confidence in those considering futures in medicine.”