City medical students in post-virus training
Medical students from a new teaching school in Sunderland got their first experience of hands-on hospital training after a health trust organised a series of Covid-19 safe sessions.
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust welcomed a group of second year students from Sunderland University’s new medical school for a consolidated teaching skills week.
The Trust would normally hold a series of half-day sessions for teaching in the hospital but, due to the coronavirus pandemic, these were suspended.
The teaching, in a special bespoke education unit at the University Hospital of Hartlepool, has been developed to teach the group clinical skills in a hospital setting.
The amended programme has been organised by director of undergraduate clinical studies Dolon Basu and the medical education team.
Consultant gastroenterologist Vikram Mitra said: “It has been a real pleasure to be involved in the clinical teaching skills week.
“Covid-19 has brought along a unique set of challenges in delivering undergraduate medical education.”
The training has been carried out in using state-of-theart simulation models which can be remotely operated to move and talk.
Dr Mitra added: “Students have the opportunity to attend lectures and demonstrations in a socially distanced environment. This is followed by hands-on examination on simulation models and role play in small groups under close supervision from the teaching faculty.
“Students described this learning experience as unique and enriching – they are thrilled to be in a safe hospital setting.”