Less traditional lessons for medical students
04/11/08 12:08
The New Zealand Herald this week reported an innovative new aspect to the training of future doctors at Auckland University. Trainee doctors had to work with a group of Year 11 students from two South Auckland high schools. The secondary students were given role-playing training and taught about the health issues of young people. They then used their newly acquired skills and knowledge to teach the medical students about how best to work with young people through a series of role-playing exercises.
The Herald reported benefits for both groups from this experience: the medical students received important feedback about what did (or didn’t) work well when dealing with young people and the secondary students gained a new perception about doctors and the realisation that a career in health might be a possibility for them.
As we have collected New Zealanders’ vision of what Secondary Education should look like in 20 years’ time, they have told us that they want learning to happen in places beyond the school wall, for schools to be a resource for the community and for the community to be a resource for schools. This is a great example of one way in which this vision is already becoming a reality. Are there opportunities to develop this kind of learning project in your area? Perhaps it is already happening in some way. If so, why not tell us about it?
The Herald reported benefits for both groups from this experience: the medical students received important feedback about what did (or didn’t) work well when dealing with young people and the secondary students gained a new perception about doctors and the realisation that a career in health might be a possibility for them.
As we have collected New Zealanders’ vision of what Secondary Education should look like in 20 years’ time, they have told us that they want learning to happen in places beyond the school wall, for schools to be a resource for the community and for the community to be a resource for schools. This is a great example of one way in which this vision is already becoming a reality. Are there opportunities to develop this kind of learning project in your area? Perhaps it is already happening in some way. If so, why not tell us about it?
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