Brainworks Takes LA Students Inside the Brain Cedars-Sinai Skip to content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Share Email Print CS-Blog Cedars-Sinai Blog Brainworks Takes LA Students Inside the Brain Mar 11, 2018 Cedars-Sinai Staff Share Tweet Post Recently, 175 students from 4 schools across LA descended upon Cedars-Sinai to get an inside look at the human brain and explore career opportunities in the medical field. The visit was part of the Brainworks program created by Dr. Keith Black, chair of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Black credits programs like Brainworks with encouraging his pursuit of medicine. He hopes this program will spark interest in STEM fields for students who might not otherwise think a career in science is possible for them. "Brainworks began because we wanted to expose as many young minds as we could to how exciting science is," says Dr. Black. The junior high and high school students spent the day rotating through hands-on stations showcasing various skills and technology used in the hospital. "We got to use a machine on a grapefruit to see how you would remove a tumor in the brain," said 12-year-old Areli. "It was really cool." The students tried out real-life surgical equipment like the BrightMatter Guide, a GPS-like device that creates a map of the brain before surgery. They also took a virtual reality tour of the human body using technology currently being tested at Cedars-Sinai. In addition to hands-on practice, the students also heard from Cedars-Sinai staff and learned about different careers they could choose in medicine. "Brainworks began because we wanted to expose as many young minds as we could to how exciting science is." Neurosurgeon Dr. Tiffany Perry spoke to the kids about her medical mission trips and encouraged them to think about all the places a medical career could carry them. They also heard from Stroke Program coordinator Laurie Paletz, who taught the students about careers in nursing, and neurosurgery resident Dr. Julie Chan, who shared what motivated her to become a neurosurgeon. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Brainworks has always been about the kids and what they can accomplish, says Dr. Black. "It's great to see so many bright students with so much potential come through this program," he says. "It's exciting to think about what the students will do in the future." Read: Brainworks Program Lets LA Students Be Neurosurgeons for a Day Tags Neurology Brain Los Angeles Behind the Scenes at Cedars-Sinai Neurosurgery Share Tweet Post Popular Categories Health + Wellness Science + Innovation Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Popular Topics In Our Community Faces of Cedars-Sinai Patient Stories Los Angeles Behind the Scenes Make an Appointment Find a Doctor Schedule a Callback Call us 24 hours a day 1-800-CEDARS-1 Support Cedars-Sinai Make a Gift Volunteer Share Email Print Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility