Lundy McKibbin, a medical student, helps a Mini Docs camper at a learning station. (Photo: Gregory Sawisky)
This weekend, 37 children sporting scrubs and stethoscopes were welcomed into the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry for the third annual Mini Docs day camp.
This year's event was organized by second-year students Helena Liu and Sheila Wang, who say they were impressed by the children's knowledge and their willingness to learn more about the human body. Both volunteered for last year's event: Liu was a station teacher and Wang was a group leader.
"It's a lot of fun and a lot of laughing and joking," Wang said of her Mini Docs experience. "I think as long as the kids get the big message they feel very accomplished at the end of the day."
Mini Docs is an appreciation event for children aged six to 12 who volunteer as patients so first- and second-year medical students can practice history taking and physical examination skills. Each spring, those children are invited back to learn basic medical and public health principles through engaging learning stations and activities led by UAlberta medical students.
The camp included seven teaching stations, each with a focus on a different body system. Campers learned about cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal body systems; vital signs; special senses; and blood and immunity. At each station campers learned how that system works, how to keep it healthy and what to do if something goes wrong. The children also received a different piece of medical garb-like gloves or a surgical mask-after each station to help complete their physician look.
A crowd favourite was the cardiovascular station, where campers were introduced to "Harvey", the high-tech simulated patient medical students use to train in the first two years of the medical program. Harvey gave the children a chance to listen to different heart sounds, which wouldn't be possible with a human volunteer.
"Mini Docs is unique because it's not the typical classroom set up. You're not lecturing the kids and it's very hands-on," Liu said. "The kids get to see, touch and feel things, and I think that makes it so much more impactful for them."
After completing all seven stations, the campers move to the final challenge: the triage station, where they are challenged to pool everything they've learned to treat a mock patient.
"For the triage station, one of the station teachers becomes the standardized patient. They go through make up and have a bruise or a cut and the kids treat them like a patient," Liu explained. "They leave the room before the kids enter so they think it's a real patient. It's a bit more real for the kids and they get really excited."
JoAnn Paul, Mini Docs program co-ordinator, says the camp has been a success since its inaugural year. Several of last year's campers immediate expressed interest in participating in the Mini Docs program again.
"It's a chance for the kids to learn about the body from a medical doctor's perspective with lots of hands-on activities," she said. "It's also a great way for the faculty to engage with the community and promote careers in medicine."
Mini Docs camp is sponsored by the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and the Medical Students' Association. It is promoted through the faculty, a local home-schooling association and select pediatric clinics throughout the city.
For more information on participating in the volunteer patient program, emai MiniDocsCamp@ualberta.ca.