Orthopaedic Institute for Children and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to Host 2017 Perry Outreach Program

Free Program Open to Female High School and Medical Students
Interested in Pursuing Careers in Medicine and Engineering, With Special
Emphasis on Orthopaedics

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Applications are now being accepted for the 2017 Perry Outreach Program,
a free hands-on experience for female high school students as well as
women currently enrolled in medical school who are interested in
pursuing careers in medicine and engineering. The program, locally
sponsored by the Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) and Children’s
Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), is part of the Perry Initiative’s national
mission to inspire young women to be leaders in these fields and to
foster their understanding of and appreciation for the career that may
lie ahead.

The Medical Student Outreach Program will be held on April 21 on the OIC
campus in downtown Los Angeles and is intended for women in their first
or second year of medical school who are undecided about specialty
choice or have expressed interest in exploring a career in orthopaedics.
That evening participants will hear lectures from local women surgeons,
network with industry leaders, and perform hands-on skills modules and
mock orthopaedic surgeries.

On April 22 young women from high schools (grades 10 and above) will
attend a one-day program where they will hear from women leaders in the
fields of medicine and engineering and will get hands-on experience by
performing mock orthopaedic surgeries and biomechanics exercises.

Despite the increasing number of women entering medical and graduate
school, women make up only 6.1 percent of fully accredited practicing
orthopaedic surgeons according to a 2014 survey by the American Academy
of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Only 12.4 percent of the faculty at engineering
schools is women, with that percentage being lower for mechanical
engineering. In the face of these numbers, the Perry Initiative was
created in 2009 in honor of Dr. Jacquelin Perry, one of the first female
orthopaedic surgeons in the country and a mentor to countless women and
men in the field throughout her celebrated career, which spanned from
1952 to 2013. The program taking place at OIC is one of 30 such programs
conducted throughout the year by the Perry Outreach Program, which to
date has touched more than 4,000 students nationwide.

“We are delighted to once again be the Los Angeles host site for this
prestigious program which is so important in encouraging young women to
consider entering these important specialties,” said Dr. Jennifer Beck,
associate director of the Center for Sports Medicine at OIC.

“The students who participate have repeatedly expressed how this
experience opens their eyes to the incredible opportunities that await
and inspires them to pursue careers that are not only personally
fulfilling but have a meaningful impact on the lives of many,” added Dr.
Rachel Goldstein, assistant clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at
Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Applicants for the program should be women in grades 10 and up with an
expressed interest in science, medicine and/or engineering. Additional
information can be found at www.perryinitiative.org,
and the application to apply can be found at perryinitiative.org/programs/student-online-application/.
Application deadline is March 22.

About Orthopaedic Institute for Children

Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) was founded in 1911 as Los
Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital. Focused solely on musculoskeletal
conditions in children, Orthopaedic Institute for Children receives
60,000 patient visits each year. In alliance with UCLA Health and with
the support of the OIC Foundation, we advance pediatric orthopaedics
worldwide through outstanding patient care, medical education and
research. Our locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Westwood
and Calexico treat the full spectrum of pediatric orthopaedic disorders
and injuries. For more information, visit us at ortho-institute.org.

About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s
hospital in California and among the top 10 in the nation for clinical
excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World
Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research
Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research
facilities in the United States.

Children’s Hospital is also one of America’s premier teaching hospitals
through its affiliation with the Keck School of Medicine of the
University of Southern California since 1932. For more information,
visit CHLA.org.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram;
or visit the institution’s child health blog (www.WeTreatKidsBetter.org)
or its research blog (www.ResearCHLABlog.org).

Contacts

Orthopaedic Institute for Children
Camille Strickland, 213-742-1501
CStrickland@mednet.ucla.edu