Reflexes, Blood Pressure, and Peg Games: Public Health Interns Take on Skills Day

Interns in the Public Health program enjoyed an action-packed Skills Day, stepping away from the lecture hall for a hands-on dive into essential medical procedures!

Always a favorite among students and staff alike, Skills Day gives interns the chance to practice foundational techniques used across the medical field. Because this week's cohort is twice the size of a standard session, the group was split in half, alternating between morning and afternoon hands-on skill blocks.

Dr. Aisha kicked off the vital signs room with a high-energy roleplay, dramatically pretending to be a crime witness in a fake emergency scenario. After the excitement settled, she asked the room how many students had ever visited an ER, taking the moment to highlight the single most important protocol performed before administering care: taking vital signs.

"Vital signs are the key to the hospital," Dr. Aisha explained. "Without them, everyone would just be coming in asking to see the doctor."

She demonstrated how vitals drive triage and prioritization, setting the stage for the interns to get to work. First, students tested knee-jerk reflexes using a patellar hammer—watching Dr. Aisha demonstrate on a Team Lead before pairing up to try it themselves. Next, she introduced the aneroid sphygmomanometer, the classic diagnostic tool used to measure blood pressure. Interns teamed up once again, placing cuffs and carefully listening to capture one another's readings.

While vitals are a universal practice for every healthcare professional, interns also got the rare opportunity to try a technique typically reserved for operating rooms: laparoscopy! This minimally invasive surgical procedure allows doctors to access the inside of the abdomen or pelvis without large incisions. To increase the excitement that already filled the room, we further transformed it into a series of surgical games, introducing some lighthearted competition between teammates.

Interns used the tools to stack tiny triangles, balance beads on podiums, thread string through obstacle courses, and cut shapes from paper. Working within these confined spaces mimicked the real-world challenge of operating in tight anatomical regions, making for an engaging, high-stakes game.

Between mastering diagnostic tools and testing their surgical hands, the interns brought immense energy to every station. It was an invigorating day full of laughter, new challenges, and a deeper appreciation for the clinical skills they will carry forward!