ROCK HILL, S.C. -- The use for robots in healthcare continues to grow. Piedmont Medical Center of Rock Hill utilizes various robotic machines that allow doctors to perform more precise surgeries.

Piedmont's Director of Surgical Services, Shellie Milwood, said the interest in surgery assisting robots has risen in the Medical community. Milwood said this means the need for medical professionals who know how to utilize the machines, is also up.

Milwood hosted a medical robotic symposium for high school students around Rock Hill. Piedmont invited students with interest in the medical field to teach them the ins and outs of three different robots.

Students like Shriti Parek were given the chance to learn about, and test each robot. Parek and dozens of other medical field hopefuls tried their hand at using the da Vinci, Globus, and Mako robots.

"The more hospitals that offer this, the more that, professionals get to teach the younger generation," Parek said.

Students used the da Vinci device to unwrap candy with mechanical grabbers. Milwood said this device is used in general, GYN, and Urology procedures. The Globus robot taught students about assisted alignment in spine surgeries. The Globus was used with the Mako robot to demonstrate orthopedic surgery.

Milwood said the hope is that each student will continue to work their way into the medical field, to strengthen the workforce of hospitals. Students say the feel they have an advantage over their classmates after being given the chance to test each medical robot.

"It could lead to internship opportunities, shadowing opportunities and just really helps you understand more about the field," Parek said.

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