At the Little Veterinarian School, each child is assigned a white lab coat, a stethoscope and a patient — a plush dog. The little vets conduct nose-to-tail examinations, log their observations in a journal and analyze sample X-rays.
The animal theme extends to the program’s play breaks, when the kids do animal yoga poses and relay races.
The after-school enrichment program devised by St. Louis, Mo.-based Little Medical School is for kids ages 4 to 14. A Honolulu franchise has brought the program here, with a roll-out at more than 20 public, charter and private schools, including Waikiki Elementary, Voyager Charter School and ‘Iolani School.
Sue Bigelow, the Oahu franchisee, said she came across Little Medical School while looking for STEM- (science, technology, engineering and math) and health-oriented programs for her two sons, ages 8 and 9.
“I realized there is such a huge shortage of doctors and nurses in Hawaii today,” she said. “So I thought maybe this would be a great program to inspire kids.”
Bigelow also runs a separate after-school program, Amazing Athletes Oahu, a noncompetitive sports-based class for tots and elementary schoolchildren.
Little Medical School was founded in 2011 by Dr. Mary Mason, an internist and mother of three, in response to a lack of programming exposing elementary school children to careers in health care. There are separate veterinary, medical, nursing, pharmacy and dental “schools.”
The program runs 10 to 14 weeks, depending on the school’s calendar, with weekly classes that last 45 minutes to an hour. Prices range from $15 to $20 per single class, depending on the school.
Many of the instructors are aspiring nurses, vets and pre-med students or teachers with an interest in life sciences, according to Bigelow.
Little Veterinarian School, which allows kids to play animal doctor, is among the most popular of the programs, she said. Little Medical School teaches kids about the world of medicine through hands-on demonstrations, crafts and games. Participants don white coats, use real stethoscopes, learn how to scrub their hands, sew sutures, apply first aid and how the body works.
Get more info about the Little Veterinarian School program at littlemedicalschool.com/oahu.
