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Technical and knowledge‐based outcomes following a one‐week high school research program in toxicology and environmental health sciences (1058.1)
Author(s) -
Guo Grace,
Aleksunes Lauren,
Moscovitz Jamie,
Venosa Alessandro,
Gow Andrew,
Laskin Debra
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.1058.1
Subject(s) - medical education , presentation (obstetrics) , biomedical sciences , psychology , medicine , toxicology , biology , pathology , radiology
As an applied science, students are often not exposed to the fields of toxicology and environmental health sciences until their undergraduate or graduate studies. The purpose of this summer program was to introduce rising sophomore, junior, and senior high school students to the concepts of toxicology and environmental health sciences, provide hands‐on laboratory training, and highlight various careers in toxicology and environmental sciences, as well as biomedical fields. Two groups of 23 students (n=46 total) participated in a non‐residential, one‐week summer program at the Rutgers University that consisted of didactic (70%) and laboratory (30%) activities organized by toxicology graduate students and faculty instructors. Activities focused on dose‐response relationships, experimental design, clinical toxicology, histology and pathology, epidemiology, and genetics. Pre‐ and post‐training surveys aimed to assess student motivation to participate in the program, research and technical abilities, and basic toxicology and biomedical knowledge. Students informed that the greatest motivating factors to participate in this program included an opportunity to explore their interest in science and gain hands‐on laboratory experience. Self‐assessment surveys revealed improved presentation skills (24%), laboratory proficiency including DNA isolation (49%) and cell culture (31%) as well as assessment of patient clinical findings (32%). Using a true/false exam, student’s knowledge of key toxicology concepts increased from the beginning (67% correct responses) to the end of the program (81% correct responses). The genetics, histology, and pathology labs received the highest ratings. A one‐week summer laboratory and didactic program engages high school students in toxicology and environmental health sciences and improves laboratory and presentation skills as well as increases knowledge of overall biomedical concepts.