PCHS Bulletin - Vimian Thach
Date Published - February 25, 2026
On January 22, 20 students from the Parrish Community High School HOSA club had an amazing opportunity to gain a chance to get a hands-on experience with the new da Vinci 5 Surgical Robot at Manatee Memorial Hospital.
Manatee Memorial Hospital is currently the only hospital in the county to have da Vinci 5 surgical robot, and they were excited to provide students with a demonstration of the new robot and to let them practice firsthand with it.
This surgical robot’s main use is to enhance procedures with 3D vision, high level precision, and force feedback technology. This allows surgeons to feel tension on tissues, reducing force-related traumas by 43%.
To get a feel of the robot, the students unwrapped starbursts using the da Vinci 5. This allowed them to feel the precision of the surgical robot, giving them great hands-on experiences in technological advancements in healthcare!
Aimee Nkomje (Jr.), a member of HOSA, explains how she learned a lot from this experience, saying, “I learned about technological advancements in the medical field and how these new improvements make it easier for both the doctor and the patient”
Nkomeje then further explains her experience, “The da Vinci 5 surgical robot was a lot simpler than I thought, and being in this position showed me how much easier it is for surgeons to do complex surgeries.”
This showcase for the new surgical robot was to inspire the next generation of healthcare workers, hoping that this experience leads more students to get into healthcare.
Nkomeje has much interest in pursuing a career in the medical field, stating how she would like to be a radiologist when she grows up. She then talks about just as the new surgical robot opened easier possibilities for surgeons; she hopes there to be new advancements in imaging technology so it can help provide more accurate diagnosis in patients.
This experience with the new da Vinci 5 surgical robot was an amazing opportunity for the Parrish Community High Schools HOSA club, inspiring many of the students to further explore the healthcare field. They are extremely grateful to the Manatee Memorial Hospital and hope for more experiences like this one in the future!