Systems Medicine is an interesting class that I did not expect to take this year. I had wanted to take AP Environmental science, however, they reserved spots for any 12th graders who wanted to take the class, 11th who wanted to would be chosen at random, and I didn’t end up on the roster. It’s quite a shame, as I feel an AP science more removed from the conventional sciences would’ve been a suitable challenge for me; someone who isn’t going into STEM, but wants a more difficult course.
BUT! I still try my best in Systems Medicine, which I’m glad is still quite removed from the conventional sciences and more focused on the addressing of medical and social issues of the United States, a country famous for its lack of universal healthcare. This class, I feel, does a good job in alternating between its CTE (Career & Technical Education) aspect and its science aspect.
We have lots of projects, whether team or independent that really tests each student’s time managing skills. In this we definitely see who is more disciplined than the rest and gets a better grade.
For the most recent project, we had to envision what health in 50 years might look like. Where we took an existing or developing technology in the medical field and fast forward it 50 years. It’s one of the most open ended projects I’ve ever gotten, and many of the students–including me– were very confused. Honestly, it was probably the most questions I’ve ever asked about any homework, project, or essay. It did pay off though, because I left class that day with a very dry mouth, but a very enlightened mind.
Day 1
- Decide your existing/developing technology: I chose Augmented Reality (specifically in surgery).
- Choose your medium (essay, drawing, newspaper article, pamphlet, etc.): I picked comic.
- Research about it, find references and information that would help you predict its course in 50 years.
- Make your prediction
Day 2
- Start rough drafting your project:
- I started by doing some research about a cardiac surgeon’s routines before surgery; how they clean themselves, what they say, and how they prepare.
- Some reference images for the tools they use and the things they wear. Ex.) the loupes (glasses), some clamps, masks scalpels, gowns, and caps, etc.
- Then I made some concepts on the Augmented Reality robots. At first I tried finding a reference, but none of the ones I found really matched my vision, so I ended up designing the robot myself. (Can you tell what it looks like? Answer below the diagram of the heart)*.
- After that, I played around with the formatting, panels, and storyline a bit, omitting, adding in, and adjusting some drawings that either serves or doesn’t serve a point.
*The robot looks like a (sideways) heart, because it works in cardiac surgery.
Tune in for Days 3 and 4 soon! 😀