What happened is that she was allowed to scrub in and be a ‘retractor bitch’ in a surgery. For most of the surgery, she was asked to hold back a woman's breast as it was removed. Then she was allowed to place on clamps on major arteries, cut out temporary stitches, and put in staples. Under the eye of a surgeon. In a teaching hospital.
Unusual? Not at all. Other students had similar experiences. One delivered an afterbirth. Another helped to cut off a diseased limb. Many others held back tissue, cut out temp stitches, etc. One picked up part of a skull as it was removed. (That was in a VA hospital).
Out of the 140 in her class, probably 3/4 scrubbed in, and of that amount over 1/2 touched a patient. Her’s wasn't even the best story. (IMO, the 1st day med student delivering an afterbirth was the most amazing)
Things have changed since you went through dental school. Her experiences were and are common. This week begins her third week of medical school and she will begin regular, physical contact with incoming patients. It's how things are done now.