2012 Press Releases
UCC Medical Students Talk Nutrition to School-Children
This nutrition Outreach Programmme was developed in association with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, which has a well-developed and hugely popular schools education programme.
The second-year medical students are studying a special module on medical nutrition. The students gave class-room presentations covering many important nutritional topics such as digestion, food choices, food as fuel, food for growth and the importance of a healthy brekfast and lunch. The students nutrition for growth and development as their key message, explaining to the school-children the importance of healthy diet. They also gave suggestions for breakfast and used a selection of medical props to explain digestion.
Module co-ordinator, Dr Bridget Maher said that the medical students and the school-children greatly enjoyed the presentation. ‘For some of our students, it was their first time giving a presentation, yet they immediately captivated their audience. It was great fun, there were lots of questions, and the students really got their message across. The focus of the medical nutrition module is on ‘point-of-practice’ nutrition and what better way of doing this than talking healthy diet to school-children. It helps medical students learn how to get key health messages across, and to give nutritional advice that people understand.’
The School of Medicine would like to thank Gráinne Heelan, Eva McArdle and Dr Sally Cudmore at the APC for their help with this programme and the teachers and the excellent pupils of Glasheen Boys' and Girls' Primary Schools.