On Saturday, March 29, 2025, Children’s Nebraska and UNMC proudly hosted The Perry Outreach Program, a one-day, hands-on experience for high school students interested in careers in medicine and engineering—specifically in the field of orthopaedics.
The event was led by Dr. Smitha Mathew, a fellowship-trained pediatric orthopaedic surgeon, along with a dedicated team of 10 orthopaedic providers and residents from Children’s Nebraska and UNMC. Together, they guided students through a full day of learning, mentorship, and hands-on surgical simulation.
Throughout the day, participants attended engaging lectures, practiced surgical techniques through training modules, and received personalized mentorship from local orthopaedic surgeons and biomedical engineers. The program, held in the Solarium from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., offered students a rare opportunity to explore what it is really like to work in the world of STEM—particularly in the operating room.
The Perry Initiative, a national nonprofit organization, is committed to inspiring high school students and young adults to become leaders in orthopaedic surgery and engineering. Children’s Nebraska was honored to serve as a host site this year, and we are proud that so many of our own team members helped bring the event to life. It was an energizing and inspiring event, and we hope it helped light the spark for the next generation of orthopaedic and STEM leaders.
We had 7 ortho providers – Drs. Smitha Mathew, Brian Hasley, Vivek Dutt, Susan Scherl, Sara Putnam, Nate Hallman, PA-C, and Chauna Weyermueller, DNP, APRN.