Beginning the 2025–2026 Academic Year: Doctor for a Day Inspires Future Health Leaders

  • Doctor for a Day participants practice their suturing skills on a silicone suturing pad.
  • A Doctor for a Day participant is working on labeling layers of the skin and adding details with paper, yarn, and glue.
  • Two Doctor for a Day participants and their guardian standing next to a "Health Sciences" poster. They are all wearing white coats.
  • 5 Doctor for a Day participants sitting around a table listening to a guest speaker describe some images on the screen in front of her.
  • Dr. Aisha Jamison and Medical Student Briana Martin-Villa smile for a picture in front of a projected background.
  • Two Doctor for a Day participants are sitting facing each other. One is using a medical penlight to observe the other's eye.
  • Ten Doctor for a Day participants sitting around a table listening to a lecture by Dr. Michi Shinohara.
  • Two Doctor for a Day participants wearing white coats standing next to a "Health Sciences" poster.
  • Dr. Jay Vary gives a presentation about Vitiligo to Doctor for a Day participants as students sit listening.
  • Two Doctor for a Day participants are looking at their skin using a medical instrument.

With over 100 students in attendance, the Doctor for a Day (DFAD) event on Saturday, September 27th marked a strong beginning to the academic year. Student leaders and program staff helped kick off the year by creating an engaging and welcoming experience for all participants!

The program is deeply grateful to UW faculty and clinical leads, Dr. Aisha Jamison, Dr. Katherine Jackson, Dr. Keesha Jeter, Dr. Lindsay Gunnell, Dr. Michi Shinohara, Dr. Milie Fang, and Dr. Jay Vary, for sharing their time and expertise in leading engaging workshops such as Suturing, Anatomy of the Skin Craft, Zoom-in on the Skin, and the Dermatology Detective Challenge. Appreciation is extended to the medical student leadership team, faculty leads, and volunteers for their important role in making this event possible!

DFAD remains dedicated to expanding its reach and inspiring even more students to explore careers in medicine and healthcare in the year ahead. This session highlighted the field of dermatology, with physicians in dermatology, surgical oncology, and radiation oncology leading a Q&A panel and interactive activities.

About Doctor for a Day (DFAD): 
DFAD is a program housed within the Center for Workforce Inclusion and Healthcare System Equity (WIHSE), UW School of Medicine. Each month, DFAD hosts themed academies that introduce K–12 students to health careers through hands-on activities and interactive learning experiences.