Inspiring Pipeline Program Continues to SCORE

May 18, 2023

By Morgen Ahearn

Growing evidence suggests that when health care teams reflect the diverse communities they serve, healthcare outcomes are optimized [1]. Experiential education as part of pipeline programs can help provide participants with a deeper understanding of health in their own communities as well as the wide range of career opportunities available to them in the health sciences [2].

Innovative and inspiring, the annual UC San Francisco Students Capturing the OR Experience, or SCORE program, has provided San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) highschoolers from under-represented in medicine and disadvantaged backgrounds with hands-on experience and exposure to a breadth of career options in healthcare since 2018. Conceived of and led by Charlene Blake, MD, PhD, SCORE provides an enriching and rewarding experience for the students and volunteers alike.

Now in its sixth year, the joyous 2023 event brought together a multidisciplinary team of mentors to lead OR tours, speak with the students in a variety of settings, and provide guidance at the intubation, mechanical ventilation, organs, vital signs, ultrasound, and knot tying hands-on learning stations. In a testament to their dedication to the students and to the power of the SCORE Program, many of the VIP speakers and other participants have volunteered their time and energy to SCORE since its inception.

VIP speakers, including UCSF School of Medicine Dean Talmadge King, MD, Assistant Professor of Thoracic Surgery Melissa Coleman, MD, MPH, OR Support Service Supervisor Marvin Gutierrez, Operating Room Leader Rachel Jones, RN, Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Sampeter Odera, DMD, MD, and Chief CRNA Administrator Mardochee Val, CRNA, talked with the students about their career pathways and barriers they’ve overcome along the way.

Director of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program at the UCSF Center for Science Education and Outreach and SCORE Planning Committee member, Anthony Amaro, provided the students with a wealth of practical information and resources for entering the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) pipeline.

During the guided OR tours, students witnessed live patient care in action and the dynamic and fast-paced perioperative environment. Always an impactful element of the program, tours were directed by Severinghaus Assistant Professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care Odmara Barreto Chang, MD, PhD. Our OR group leaders included: Director of Liver Transplant Anesthesia Kate Kronish, MD, Senior Nurse Anesthetist Christina Martindale, CRNA, Vice Chair of Professionalism in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care Oana Maties, MD, Anesthesia Resident Paul Pantapalangkoor, MD, and Chief CRNA Administrator Mardochee Val, CRNA. Students had the opportunity to observe spine and general surgery cases performed by our surgeons, Drs. Carter Lebares, Lionel Metz, Bobby Tay, Lee Tan, Alekos Theologis, and Matthew Lin, who kept the students engaged during the operating room experience.

In one of the most poignant moments of the day, participants had the privilege of hearing from guest speaker Kamiah Brown, who described how her experiences during the inaugural SCORE Program influenced her path towards a masters of public health (MPH) degree at Columbia University.

We would like to thank all of the incredible volunteers who helped make this year’s event a success.