Orthopedic Surgeon Visits Science Class

After weeks of studying bones, joints and muscles, sixth grade science students were enthralled by a presentation from Dr. William Waskowitz, an orthopedic surgeon, on Friday May 13. Dr. Waskowitz was in town to attend the Hawken \"Grandparents and Special Friends Day\" with his granddaughter,which allowed him time to visit the Middle School science class. His visit and orthopedic expertise could not have been better timed; during class earlier that day, students had dissected fresh chicken wings in order to see and maneuver muscle groups, ligaments, tendons and bones. Dr. Waskowitz slapped x-ray films on the overhead projector, manipulated a classroom skeleton and models of human joints, and showed off items used in orthopedic surgery to focus student attention on the details of joints, arthritis, and joint replacement. Every question thrown to the crowd was met by dozens of eagerly raised hands as students competed to share their new knowledge about names of bones and components of joints. \"How much do you have to train in order to become an orthopedic surgeon?\", one student asked. \"Forever, it seems! You`re an old man by the time you get to start practicing as a doctor, \" joked Dr. Waskowitz, as he recounted many years of grueling undergraduate studies, graduate work, and hospital experience that were a necessary part of his preparation. Some students listened with bright, focused gazes, some readied a half-raised hand to ask a question, and some simply swallowed hard as the doctor shared technical details of procedures that he had frequently performed in the operating room. He spoke of the ball-and-socket joint in a patient`s hip that had been decimated by rheumatoid arthritis, removal of the defective head of the femur bone, fitting a replacement hip prosthesis to the tip of the bone, and fastening it with screws and special glue. \"Here, look at this X-ray of the finished product. Doesn`t it look great?\" he remarked, as the overhead projector flashed the sharply outlined silhouette of artificial parts attached to a normal looking human thigh bone, screws and all. \"Whoa...!\", was the slow, guttural student response - awestruck at the miracle and beauty of the surgeon`s handiwork. Memories of the classroom lab dissection still fresh in their minds, how many students were now imagining themselves working on that hip themselves and congratulating themselves on yet another successful surgery? Quite a few, judging by the warm applause and animated conversation that greeted Dr. Waskowitz at the end of the half-hour presentation. When ceiling lights flickered back to life and students pressed forward to thank Waskowitz, he joined the class to attend the middle school assembly - for an eighth grader`s Chapel talk on the Canadian health care system.