Surgeon discusses his career with Anatomy and Physiology classes at STEAM Academy

Dr. Devon John, chief of renal transplantation at Westchester Medical Center, discussed his career as a surgeon with students in Rene Patterson’s Anatomy and Physiology classes at Mount Vernon STEAM Academy on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. Students have been learning about body systems in the class and asked the surgeon questions related to their learning during his visit. 

Dr. John outlined his duties as a surgeon and explained the history of transplant surgeries, which organs can be transplanted and how the practice has developed. He showed students images of organs and diagrams of the human anatomy to provide an in-depth explanation of how the organ transplantation process works. 

Students have been learning about organs in Anatomy and Physiology, and they compiled questions prior to meeting the surgeon.  Some of the questions that they asked were about complications during surgery, how long it takes to become a surgeon and why he became a surgeon.

“Aside from just learning about the general body systems, I’m trying to promote medical literacy within my classes so that students can feel comfortable going to the doctor, know what they’re being talked to about, and also, more importantly, so they can advocate for themselves in a medical way,” said Ms. Patterson. “This shows them that anything is possible. Like Dr. John said: he did come from a community similar to here. If they work hard and are patient, they can eventually become a surgeon, or a doctor or whatever career that they choose.” 

Dr. John spent 17 years before completing his medical training – four years of college, four years of medical school, a five-year residency, two years of research and a two-year fellowship. He began operations during his residency and performed an amputation as his first surgery. 

“The key thing to my presence here as someone from the African American community – and most of these kids are African American – is that any career, particularly a career in medicine at this level, is possible,” said Dr. John. “I came from the same community as they came from; I grew up in the Bronx. And none of this is too difficult. It may seem overwhelming, but after years of patience – and that's the whole reason for residency and training – it becomes routine, and you learn it. Waiting that long is not a hard thing. I think we need to understand that patience, time and perseverance pay off more than immediacy.”

He encouraged students to focus on their work, continue to push forward and find something that drives them passionately. If they work at it, they will be able to achieve success. An advanced career such as surgeon can seem otherworldly, but it can be done with patience and hard work. He emphasized the importance of education as a means to their success.

Students will continue their exploration of body systems in future Anatomy and Physiology classes. They will learn about nine more body systems, having already covered some to start the year. In the class, they talk about body systems, organs and how systems help bodily functions. They will also explore pathology and study what goes wrong when certain organs don’t work.