I knew more needed to be done to bridge the gap between the University
and the surrounding communities. So in an effort to help UChicago medical
students build authentic relationships with neighborhoods that house much
of their patient population, I asked them to join my Explorers Club and visit
Chatham. They came to Chatham, ate, learned, and within a few months,
started a program called “Doctor for a Day” at Whitney Young Library.
On May 30, children and adults alike took part in Whitney Young Library’s
“Doctor for a Day” program, put on by medical students from the Pritzker
School of Medicine at the University of Chicago. This program was a handson experience in which library-goers could explore the science behind the
practice of medicine. Participants had the chance to use a stethoscope to
listen to heart and lung sounds. They also were able to view (and touch)
real animal organs: sheep hearts, livers, brains, and kidneys. Once they got
past the initial “yuck