On Saturday January 20, 2018, the Perry Outreach Program (POP) returned to Charlotte for the third consecutive year.  Also known also as the Perry Initiative, the one-day, non-profit program includes lectures on careers in engineering and orthopaedic surgery as well as hands-on workshops in a variety of orthopaedic skills. The goal of the program is to introduce women to careers in orthopaedic surgery and engineering. Among several participating medical institutions, Carolinas Medical Center is represented within the Perry Initiative by Joshua C. Patt, MD, MPF (Atrium Health Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program Director).

Selected from over 120 applicants annually, Perry Outreach Program participants come from Charlotte and the surrounding region. The recently announced results of a 5-year evaluation of the program clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of the program with the majority of high school Perry Outreach Program alumnae now enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors in college, many of whom have shown a focused interest in biosciences, engineering, and medicine in their studies and career paths.

The Perry Outreach Program is supported by generous donors, including nearly $5,000 in philanthropic support contributed through Carolinas HealthCare Foundation. For more information on the Perry Initiative and Outreach Program, visit http://perryinitiative.org.