Mahopac High School students enrolled in the College Health elective are gaining firsthand insight into the realities of the medical profession through a continued partnership with “Mini Medical College” and guest speaker Dr. Richard Evans.
For the second consecutive year, Dr. Evans has visited College Health classes taught by district Health Coordinator and teacher Valarie Nierman, sharing real-world experiences that connect directly to the course curriculum. The partnership gives students an authentic look at medical careers while deepening their understanding of health-related topics discussed in class.
During his first visit, Dr. Evans spoke with students about his journey to becoming a physician, including his early days working in a hospital in the South Bronx near Yankee Stadium. In a recent follow-up presentation, “Medical Errors and Malpractice: You Be the Judge,” he challenged students to think critically about responsibility, ethics and decision-making in health care.
Dr. Evans explained what medical malpractice is and why it remains a significant issue in the medical field, noting that a 2022 American Medical Association report found that 33% of physicians are sued at least once during their careers. He emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes and compared the medical profession’s approach to how aviation experts analyze a plane’s black box after an accident to prevent similar errors in the future.
Students were actively engaged as Dr. Evans presented real-life medical scenarios and asked them to decide whether each case constituted malpractice. One memorable example involved a 20-year-old patient who returned to the hospital two months after an appendectomy with severe abdominal pain. An X-ray revealed that a surgical clamp had been left inside the patient during the original procedure.
Dr. Evans also discussed the role of medical malpractice insurance and why it is essential for practicing physicians.
“Many of these situations are examples of what can occur when focus is lost,” Dr. Evans said. “Far from deterring you from the medical field, these discussions should encourage you to pursue medicine and focus on providing the best care for your patients and to help the medical community reduce medical errors.”
The partnership continues to provide Mahopac students with meaningful, career-connected learning experiences and a deeper understanding of the responsibilities that come with working in health care.
