As students throughout Davis Magnet School celebrated Valentine’s Day with paper hearts, a group of sixth-graders in Mrs. Emily Matthews’ class focused on a different heart, the human one, as they belted out the lyrics to “Golden” from the movie “KPop Demon Hunters.” 

“It turns out that song is 120 beats per minute, perfect for CPR, and I think every kid knows it,” said Dr. Nancy Love, an internist, mother of two Davis students, and first-time guest for the school’s long-running Medical Residency Day. 

Sixth-grade teacher Mrs. Lisa Holman has organized the annual Medical Residency Day for about 15 years. Through the years, the program for Davis’ sixth-graders has grown and adapted to match shifting science standards. In addition to strengthening critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the day serves as the capstone to the human body unit.

During the six to eight weeks students spend on the unit, Davis’ sixth-grade team takes a divide-and-conquer approach to teaching anatomy. Mrs. Holman leads lessons on the nervous system, while Mrs. Matthews focuses on the circulatory system. Fellow sixth-grade teacher Mr. Mike Hurley looks at cellular biology, and science specialist Mrs. Megan Manning guides students through the study of blood vessels in the science lab. With the help of grant-funded models, slide presentations, and hands-on labs, students are prepared with a strong foundation, setting the stage for Medical Residency Day to bring their learning to life.

“As a STEM magnet school, we want our students to grow as problem-solvers. Medical Residency Day is a learning experience that helps students build the skills and capacities necessary to be successful in the evolving technological world,” said Principal Dr. Nina Glassen.

Leading up to the event, students visited the School of Nursing at Santa Ana College, where they used virtual reality headsets to assess a digital patient, practiced taking vital signs on a lifelike medical mannequin, and observed nursing students working through real-time scenarios. They also explored an ambulance, learned CPR for adults and infants, and practiced basic wound care. 

“This field trip allowed students to connect their classroom learning to real-world medical settings while exposing them to the critical role nurses play in patient care, emergency response, and rehabilitation,” Mrs. Holman said. 

Medical Residency Day builds on that momentum. Students rotate through sessions led by medical professionals who share what their day-to-day work looks like as well as inspiration for a future in the field.

Dr. Love offered guidance on the Heimlich maneuver and wound care, then led students through stations where they practiced their skills as “medical detectives” for patients who may be experiencing head trauma or cardiovascular distress. Students performed CPR on a dummy equipped with sensors to show whether they were pressing hard enough or keeping the beat. In addition to trying their hand at wrapping bandages, students practiced suturing wounds on a silicone model. 

In another room, Dr. Robert Louis, a neurosurgeon from Hoag Hospital, demonstrated how surgeons use virtual reality to plan complex brain surgeries. Using images from real patients, he demonstrated ways he and his team benefit from being able to take a closer look at tumors as they remove them, reminding students to always ask, “What can I learn from this?”

In the science lab, Mrs. Manning led students outfitted in surgical gowns through sheep heart dissections, giving them a close-up look at the structures they had studied all year. 

In the multipurpose room, physical and speech therapists explain how they help patients regain movement and communication after injury or illness. The experience encouraged curiosity, confidence, and early interest in healthcare pathways as students begin to imagine themselves as future medical professionals. 

“By the end of Medical Residency Day, the systems of the human body are no longer just lessons on a page for our students. Engaging directly in interactive activities deepens understanding, strengthens retention, and sparks curiosity in a way textbooks alone cannot,” Mrs. Holman said. 

For Davis’ sixth graders, Medical Residency Day is more than a special event. It helps students see themselves as part of a bigger picture, one in which they are scientists, nurses, therapists, and doctors.