University of Queensland medical students are learning first-hand about the role and importance of community health groups.
As part of the University's new Graduate Medical Course (GMC), all first-year students have the chance to spend time with one or more of around 60 participating support groups including the Alzheimer's Association, Arthritis Foundation, Leukaemia Foundation, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support, Blue Nurses and Intellectually Handicapped Persons Association.
Program leaders are Dr Fran Boyle, lecturer with the University's Social and Preventive Medicine Department, and Dr Ross Young, senior lecturer with the University's Psychiatry Department. Social and Preventive Medicine Department researcher Allyson Mutch has helped to coordinate the program.
Dr Young said the program provided a human connection for trainee doctors with the health problems people faced.
'Students gain valuable insights into people's experiences and needs in relation to a variety of health problems. The program exposes them to psychosocial issues not necessarily covered in the traditional hospital ward visits,' he said.
The program builds on initiatives by the two departments in the former undergraduate medical course. A 1996 survey of community health groups by the University's Centre for Primary Health Care revealed most group workers believed there should be greater collaboration between community organisations and medical schools.
Dr Boyle said the program gave students an overall sense of the role of community health organisations. Their services offered a valuable resource to both patients and their doctors who increasingly were faced with the challenges of managing a range of chronic health problems in the community, she said.
'The program bridges the gap between medical training and community support groups. Students gain a greater understanding of the resources, knowledge, skills and challenges of these groups,' Dr Young said.
'When they eventually become doctors, they will be more familiar with community-based resources and can ensure their patients receive ongoing care and support.'
First-year students currently spend a few hours with an organisation and later exchange experiences and information with each other during tutorials. It is hoped to trial longer placements from next year.
In 1997, more than 100 students participated in the program, going 'on-the-road' with many of the organisations to observe patient servicing and interaction. Dr Boyle said enormous potential existed for students to assist particular groups by conducting surveys of members' needs, designing information packages and seeking out resources on the Internet as part of their own learning process.
Ms Mutch said students were very enthusiastic about the program, reporting a positive experience from seeing the human side of health problems.
'Groups themselves are also very enthusiastic about the program with many impressed with students' knowledge, previous work skills and diverse backgrounds,' she said.
The GMC was introduced at the University in 1997, providing flexible and relevant training for medical practitioners into the next century.
As opposed to the prior undergraduate Medical Course where places were filled mainly by school leavers, the minimum qualification for entry into the new four-year course is a bachelors degree from a recognised university.
The GMC is part of an Australian and international trend towards graduate medical education.
It uses clinical problems to stimulate self-directed learning in basic and clinical sciences, and provide interpersonal, ethical and community perspectives.
For more information, contact Dr Boyle (telephone 07 3240 5816) or Dr Young (telephone 07 3365 5140).
