More than 300 children and their parents delved into the world of medicine and science during Future Docs 2025 at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Sponsored by the School of Medicine's Alumni Association, the March 8 event saw children explore the first two floors of Scott Hall and the Richard J. Mazurek, M.D., Medical Education Commons to engage in hands-on activities that explained various facets of medicine. Future Docs is designed to pique the interest of children with an early introduction and appreciation for science that may blossom into medical careers.

Future Docs also gives medical students the opportunity to give back to the community by working with the children.

“I’m a first-generation student and I wish I’d had an opportunity for something like this when I was young,” said first-year medical student Emi Ueda-Martinez as she helped Luis Gutierrez-Hamilton, 8, explore the human brain at the Brain Blast exhibit. Ueda-Martinez, who wants to become a neurosurgeon, said it was important to her to serve as a role model to students interested in exploring medicine. “I want to give back to the community.”

The children, between the ages of 6 and 12 got a hands-on look into the world of medicine and medical research during the annual event. The children and their parents, many of them WSU School of Medicine alumni, roamed the second-floor halls and labs of Scott Hall and the classrooms of the Mazurek Medical Education Commons, where they were led through displays by more than 200 volunteers. While the majority of the volunteers were medical students, they were joined by physicians and technicians from various WSU departments and several hospitals.

The featured 18 workshops like Brain Blast, Wind Your Way Through DNA, Heart Rocks, Ultrasounds Like Fun, in addition to a photobooth, face painting and lunch.

“It’s important to show children the possibilities they can have in the field of medicine,” said Trisha Ray, a third-year medical student who plan to go into general surgery. Originally from Indiana, she guided young visitors through the Saw Bones exhibit, where they got the opportunity to use the actual tools and mechanics to install plates and screws to repair bones and joints.

Christopher Carter, another third-year medical student from Columbus, Ohio, manning the Saw Bones exhibit, said he benefited from a similar event when he was six years old.

“My mother is a vet and she did something like this in her clinic for my first-grade class,” he said. 
“It was great, and so I believe it’s important to provide these opportunities so kids can see that they can have a role in medicine,” said Carter, who also plans to enter general surgery.