The UAB Department of Surgery hosted several students in a COVID-safe environment to teach a suturing skills workshop to students in the UAB chapter of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS) organization.

Assistant Dean for Medical Student Diversity and Inclusion Carlton Young, M.D., welcomed students warmly and walked them through the suturing skills workshop, step by step. On hand to assist were General Surgery Resident Connie Shao, M.D. (filling in for Lisa Soler, M.D.), Researcher IV Chibuike Alanaeme, and Graduate Research Assistant in the M.D./Ph.D. dual program Lamario Williams.

Each student had their own suturing kit in front of them, equipped with a human skin model pad and suturing tools. Overall, about 18 students participated in the event and were able to take home their skin model to do more practice on.

“It was such a joy to get to know each of these students and help them learn to suture,” said Shao. “They're incredibly talented and so fun to work with. I hope we can hear about their careers as they continue to succeed in what they choose to do."

MAPS is an initiative of The Student National Medical Association (SNMA). MAPS was founded in order to increase the pipeline of minorities into all health professions, inclusive of medicine, nursing, public health, health care administration, and entrepreneurship.