BioScience Students Learn From Visiting Experts

Throughout the academic year, the program welcomed a series of visiting professionals whose expertise offered students a firsthand look into the world of modern medical research and practice. From airway management to surgical techniques and genetic research, each visit deepened students’ understanding and brought classroom concepts to life.

In November, longtime friend of the program Dr. Mike Wilcox visited campus to lead a hands-on training session in emergency airway management. Students practiced using a laryngoscope and learned how to intubate a manikin, gaining valuable insight into high-stakes scenarios that emergency medical professionals face.

A month later, Dr. Jamie Lopez, a researcher and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, spent three days working side-by-side with students in the lab. Dr. Lopez shared his current research in yeast genetics and introduced students to the techniques and theoretical foundations that underpin his work. The visit offered students the rare opportunity to engage in active research conversations and see how scientific inquiry unfolds at the university level.

Then, in March, Dr. Parker Eberwein—a urologic surgeon and father of Brycen Eberwein ’05, as well as Lauren and Sydney, both of whom attended SSM—joined the BioScience classes for a hands-on workshop in surgical suturing. Under his expert guidance, students practiced making and closing incisions, gaining both technical skill and an appreciation for the precision and patience required in the operating room.

“My experiences with the guest doctors who have visited SSM have been nothing short of a privilege,” said Amaya Fernandez ’27. “I’ve learned things you can’t get from a textbook, and their wisdom has truly inspired me and my classmates. I’m incredibly grateful they’ve made time in their busy schedules to support our community.”