When Healthcare Meets Engineering: Collaboration in Action at the ATC
What happens when healthcare education and engineering come together?
At the Corbin Area Technology Center, students in Mrs. Rhodes' Body Structures & Functions class found out—and the result was a little more fun than your typical skeletal system review!
As students have been learning about the bones of the human body, they put their knowledge to the test with a game of Operation. Students identified bones, reviewed their locations and functions, and carefully worked to remove the tricky pieces from the game board.
But this learning experience took collaboration beyond the classroom.
When the game needed replacement pieces, Mr. Hendrickson, Corbin ATC Engineering teacher, put his 3D printing skills to work. Using technology and expertise from the Engineering program, he created the missing pieces so the Body Structures & Functions students could keep learning.
It's a simple example of what can happen when people with different skills and areas of expertise work together toward a common goal.
The Body Structures & Functions students brought their knowledge of anatomy. The Engineering program brought its technical expertise and 3D printing capabilities. Together, they created a hands-on learning experience that made reviewing the skeletal system both memorable and engaging.
For students preparing for careers in healthcare, experiences like this reinforce an important lesson: collaboration is part of the work. In the real world, solving problems often means working alongside people who bring different knowledge, skills, and perspectives to the table.
And if learning about bones can happen while playing Operation, that's just an added bonus!
