Students Take Part in Pediatric and Child Development Days

Last week at the MGH Institute was all about children, with hundreds of students taking part in two child-focused programs that provided students with opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to real-world environments while practicing family-centered care.

Nearly 100 Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and students in the Advanced Health Assessment class participated in Pediatric Day, where they conducted hands-on assessments with pediatric volunteers, applying developmental and clinical skills in simulated environments. The sessions allowed Advanced Health Assessment students to strengthen their ability to perform age-appropriate physical exams, communicate effectively with children and families, and recognize normal growth and developmental milestones. 

“This experience bridges theory with practice, enhances clinical confidence, and fosters a deeper understanding of holistic, family-centered care,” said Laura Cline, assistant professor of nursing and lead for Pediatric Day. “It also encourages reflection, teamwork, and professional identity formation, key outcomes aligned with program competencies while cultivating the development of safe, effective, and empathetic nurse practitioners.”

Approximately 360 graduate students across Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, Genetic Counseling, Physician Assistant, and Nurse Practitioner programs worked together in interprofessional teams to conduct developmental assessments via telehealth sessions for Child Development Day. Through interviewing and guided play activities, students observed and evaluated children’s gross and fine motor skills, communication, social interaction, and cognition. 

“The team-based aspect really adds to the assessment because all the students are able to see in real time how both their own and other professions are contributing to the holistic assessment of the child,” said Rebecca Inzana, assistant professor in the Center for Interprofessional Education and Practice (CIEP), who led the event. “The student clinicians looked genuinely enthralled watching these little kids, and it was so exciting to watch them work together to achieve all the components of the assessment and to consider how these kids are developing and interacting with their families and communities.”

Both events relied on families who volunteered to help. 

“Being part of Child Development Day means a lot to me,” shared Kaitlin Young, whose 18-month-old child participated in the event. “It’s a way for me to show my general support of science and higher education, but it also allows me an amazing chance to begin from a super early age teaching my child the importance of science, education, and participation in medical science.” 
Many of the participating children and families were part of the IHP community. 

“I think it’s great for students to interact with children,” said Vanessa Desrochers, Campus Services Manager, who brought along her 4-year-old daughter, Piper, to take part in the event. “I think it’s great that anybody from across IHP can see the staff’s children; it’s like being part of a family.” 

Physician Assistant student Milly Canela interacted with Young’s child. 

“It was a nice way to be exposed to the guidelines of what milestones the child was expected to be reaching for their age, as this will be important for my learning later,” Canela said. “Probably the biggest thing I took away from it is how important PT, OT, and SLP are to every part of a child's development. Also, how genetic counseling can play a role before and after the child's birth.” 

In addition to seeing how other health professions work with children, the students also experienced the realities that can come with working with children. 

“All children are different,” added Desrochers. “There are good days and there are bad days. Just in the two hours being there, the students saw an array of different emotions in one child, which prepares them for the real world.”