Prep-for-Med-School
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Prep-for-Med-School
16.05.2011
The School of Medicine at UCC was delighted to host its first Prep-for-Med-School event on Friday last, May 13th 2011. This is a full day ‘taster’ of the UCC Medical School experience, with 80 Transition Year students from schools across Cork city and county taking part. The exciting programme gave students and their Guidance Counsellors an insight into studying Medicine at UCC.

The early part of the day took place in the Clinical Skills Department of the School of Medicine in Brookfield Health Sciences Complex on College Road. Dr Robert Gaffney, Director of Clinical Skills has developed a Clinical Skills programme focusing on the Cardio-Vascular system. Students rotated in small groups through specially designed teaching stations including ‘How the Heart works’, ‘Cardiac Arrhythmias’, ‘How to take Blood Pressure’, ‘How to take a Blood Sample’. There was also be an opportunity to observe the School of Medicine’s state-of-the-art Meti-HPS. Meti-HPS is the world’s most advanced human simulator and is used for Emergency Medicine and Clinical Skills training. Transition Year students also got to meet current Medical students and find out first-hand what it is really like to be a Medical student.

The second part of the day took place in Cork University Hospital. Surgeon Mark Corrigan has developed a fascinating programme which includes discussions on the forensic examination of a crime scene, TV Medical dramas and debates around tough Medical Ethical dilemmas. Students and Guidance Counsellors also had an opportunity to watch live robotic surgery on video-link and were able to ask the surgeon questions as he works.

Professor George Shorten, Dean of the School of Medicine, UCC looking forward to the event, said: “The first Prep-for–Med-School happened on May 13th 2011 as a result of two important “drivers”: first, the interest expressed by second level students, guidance counsellors and parents in what medical education is really like, and second a desire of the School to open its doors to a wider community. We set out to provide an enjoyable and informative experience and will depend on the feedback of those who attended to determine if we have succeeded. We anticipate that a short exposure to real life healthcare and medical education will dispel some of the mystique surrounding medicine as a career: for one thing it’s hard work! But we also hope that some of those who attended may find something worthwhile, exciting or even inspiring in the way of life that is medical practice. It is our intention to review the feedback from Friday’s event and, if favourable, make Prep-for-Med-School an annual event at UCC.”



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