Student in Medical Education (SIME): A pilot project to train students as peer teachers in the medical curriculum 

Dr Julie Chen, BIMHSE & Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, HKU

The role of a doctor as an “educator” has been embedded in recognized competency frameworks for undergraduate medical education worldwide. Evidence has shown that developing medical students as peer teachers benefits both the students and the medical school, whereby students can enhance their own learning and develop teaching competency while providing added-value teaching and learning support. This project pilot tested a peer teaching initiative in the core MBBS curriculum and evaluated its impact and feasibility. Students in their 5th year of study (Senior Clerkship) were invited to be volunteer peer teachers in clinical skills teaching sessions for their junior peers during the 2018-19 MBBS Year 4 Clinical Foundation Block. Findings from this project were encouraging but significant barriers were noted that will help to inform future peer teaching initiatives.

The use of technology innovation ‘simulation ward’ teaching model to promote undergraduate nursing students’ clinical performance competence

Dr Veronica Lam, School of Nursing, HKU

The project aims to provide a simulation ward environment with mixed-human simulators to enhance students’ clinical competence, self-confidence and self-satisfaction. All along, the mode of simulation teaching is usually related to the use of one simulator to few participants. In fact, in reality, each nurse has to take care of more than 10 patients within a shift. Therefore, an innovative project is designed by using a new concept “Simulation Ward” in where students are required to provide nursing care to mixed human simulators with various patients’ conditions. This project engages Year 4 nursing students, they are required to participate in three to six sim ward sessions and in each session they have to look after three to four mixed-human simulators, including high-fidelity, mid-fidelity simulators, and also one standardized patient, with various clinical conditions. The outcome measures are to evaluate students’ clinical competence, clinical thinking, self-satisfaction and self-confidence.

Identifying and articulating the student learning experience in the MBBS 130 curriculum Enrichment Year

Dr Eric Wan, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care & Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKU

The new innovative ‘130-curriculum’ for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Programme (MBBS) began in 2016/2017. Students were allowed to design their own learning experiences by choosing from a combination of activities such as intercalation or exchange programmes, research attachments, and service and humanitarian work in Hong Kong and/or overseas during the third year (Enrichment Year (EY)). However, the barriers and facilitators, and the overall student learning during EY are unknown. Identifying and articulating the student learning experiences will help with the future development and improvement of the curriculum in the university.

The aim of this collaborative research study between teachers and students is to identify the barriers and facilitators to achieving the proposed learning outcomes in the EY using a mixed-method design for all 206 MBBSIII students who participated in the EY during the 2017-18. Although this study will focus on medical students and their EY experience, information learnt regarding the barriers and facilitators to research attachments can provide guidance to the university on how to promote and support undergraduates in research. Besides, information on the barriers and facilitators to international exchanges, and service and humanitarian work can help to inform the HKU Horizons “Learning Beyond Hong Kong” initiative.

Speakers:

Dr Julie Chen, BIMHSE & Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, HKU
Dr Veronica Lam, School of Nursing, HKU
Dr Eric Wan, Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care & Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, HKU

Moderator:

Dr Julie Chen
Research & Scholarship Programme Director, BIMHSE & Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, HKU