Australia Experience
(This article was written in the format of "Reflection on Student Exchange Program between PAHS and University of Western Sydney (Now Western Sydney University) by 2014 Scholarship Recipient, Basant Raj Joshi (PAHS-SoM, Third Batch) to submit in the School of Medicine, PAHS). Recommended reading for medical students who want to know about foreign experience of medical education system.
As continuity to Student Exchange Program running between PAHS and University of Western Sydney, I was selected from PAHS for 2014 session. So I went to UWS for the same and stayed there for about 10 days.
My time at University of Western Sydney, School of Medicine, Campbelltown Campus was an extremely valuable experience for me. I was privileged to spend the majority of my time in the University observing and participating in the medical curriculum at Campbelltown Medical School.
I sat on the Clinical Classrooms(CC), Ethics lectures, Introduction to Clinical Medicine(ICM) classes and participated in Problem Based Learning(PBL) tutorials, Clinical Procedural Skills(CPS) Classes, Anatomy Practical and Mock OSCEs, all of which were very interesting experience for me. Problem Based Learning and Clinical Classrooms were particularly centered on infectious diseases because unlike here at PAHS, they had a separate block on Infectious Diseases. I enjoyed all of the sessions very much. Clinical Classrooms were particularly more interesting for me for which students were provided with an online study module on a particular topic and next day, they used to have a quiz like interactive session on the topic, which was accompanied by explanations from content experts.
I similarly enjoyed the Problem Based Learning tutorials which were pretty similar to those held here in PAHS albeit there were some notable differences on use of technology and timing. Each PBL case was discussed in two sessions unlike three in PAHS. All the case triggers were made available online in the University's academic website. Students were provided with resources for study including online access to various books/articles. And of course, that's not all! The sessions were incredibly organized and systematic, and the PBL group members had a very good group dynamics. All those sessions helped me to make better understanding about infectious diseases.
Introduction to Clinical Medicine classes were also similar to those of PAHS. Students were taught in small groups where they get to take history from a simulated patient (usually the facilitator), and also get to practice physical examination skills on their peers. I also sat in the ICM classes where I got opportunity to reinforce my history taking skills. Similarly the Clinical Procedural Skill sessions were very important experiences where students were made acquainted with basic clinical procedures like venipuncture, withdrawing blood for culture, basic life support, Advance life support, blood glucose measurement etc. from the very first year of their medical career. The students and facilitator were eager to include me in the class and they taught me the very basic skills of venipuncture and life support. It was a g;reat experience for me to do my first venipuncture with help of other students (in a dummy!).
One of the most interesting experiences in UWS was MOSCE exams. Student Society of the University of Western Sydney organized the mock OSCE to help the students perform better in their upcoming exams. The OSCE stations included history taking and physical examinations. From this, I got opportunity to compare the examination patterns of PAHS and UWS, which I found quite similar to each other. Similarly I got chance to have a brief visit through the MacArthur Hospital (one of the teaching hospitals of Campbelltown Medical School). The Hospital looked very organized and less crowded than that in Nepal. I also came to know about the healthcare insurance system of Australia.
The opportunity made me feel myself worthy and helped me to increase my level of self confidence. I got to learn many things directly and indirectly. This program gave an incredible opportunity to understand the health system of developed country as well as to compare and contrast the system of medical education in Australia and Nepal, especially the system of teaching and learning in PAHS and UWS. I found a lot of similarity between PAHS and UWS in context of teaching and learning methodologies. PBL, Lectures, Practicals and ICM classes are examples of such similarities. On the other hand, there are many differences also. One of such differences is CBLE,which is a unique feature of PAHS curriculumCBLE makes students well oriented with the real scenario of the community, health system of nation and seeks for possible strategies to alleviate the health problems of the society. It also provides an excellent platform for developing our research skills. Though UWS also has some components in the curriculum which orient students towards research activities, it is not much focused to be held in rural area.
I found myself surrounded by an incredibly welcoming group of students who supported me in almost everything I needed to know during my stay at the university. I would not have been able to stay so easily in such a different culture without the assistance of the Student Support Officers who helped me in almost each and every step. I deeply appreciate the hospitality shown to me by everyone at UWS, and particularly those students who guided me through everything from where to get the foods to navigating through the university premises and the city. I must thank Prof. Jenny Reath and Tim Usherwood from the bottom of my heart for their warm love and extreme support. Similarly I must appreciate the love and support from Dr. Louise Mcdonnel and her family. There are many others who helped me during my stay in Australia and the UWS and need a Mention. I am really grateful to all of them.
The vision of UWS is also similar to that of PAHS. Similar in the sense that, the graduates of the Campbelltown campus (UWS, School of Medicine), which is located in the semi rural Macarthur region in the south western Sydney, are expected to practice in the western Sydney region to redress the shortage of healthcare professionals in the area, as PAHS expects its students to work in rural Nepal.
My experience at UWS reinforced my passion for rural health, and particularly for improving rural access to healthcare around the globe. This experience will form an invaluable part of the foundation of my career, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity. This kind of exchange programs is really worth doing and I truly hope this will continue for future students also.
As continuity to Student Exchange Program running between PAHS and University of Western Sydney, I was selected from PAHS for 2014 session. So I went to UWS for the same and stayed there for about 10 days.
My time at University of Western Sydney, School of Medicine, Campbelltown Campus was an extremely valuable experience for me. I was privileged to spend the majority of my time in the University observing and participating in the medical curriculum at Campbelltown Medical School.
I sat on the Clinical Classrooms(CC), Ethics lectures, Introduction to Clinical Medicine(ICM) classes and participated in Problem Based Learning(PBL) tutorials, Clinical Procedural Skills(CPS) Classes, Anatomy Practical and Mock OSCEs, all of which were very interesting experience for me. Problem Based Learning and Clinical Classrooms were particularly centered on infectious diseases because unlike here at PAHS, they had a separate block on Infectious Diseases. I enjoyed all of the sessions very much. Clinical Classrooms were particularly more interesting for me for which students were provided with an online study module on a particular topic and next day, they used to have a quiz like interactive session on the topic, which was accompanied by explanations from content experts.
I similarly enjoyed the Problem Based Learning tutorials which were pretty similar to those held here in PAHS albeit there were some notable differences on use of technology and timing. Each PBL case was discussed in two sessions unlike three in PAHS. All the case triggers were made available online in the University's academic website. Students were provided with resources for study including online access to various books/articles. And of course, that's not all! The sessions were incredibly organized and systematic, and the PBL group members had a very good group dynamics. All those sessions helped me to make better understanding about infectious diseases.
Introduction to Clinical Medicine classes were also similar to those of PAHS. Students were taught in small groups where they get to take history from a simulated patient (usually the facilitator), and also get to practice physical examination skills on their peers. I also sat in the ICM classes where I got opportunity to reinforce my history taking skills. Similarly the Clinical Procedural Skill sessions were very important experiences where students were made acquainted with basic clinical procedures like venipuncture, withdrawing blood for culture, basic life support, Advance life support, blood glucose measurement etc. from the very first year of their medical career. The students and facilitator were eager to include me in the class and they taught me the very basic skills of venipuncture and life support. It was a g;reat experience for me to do my first venipuncture with help of other students (in a dummy!).
One of the most interesting experiences in UWS was MOSCE exams. Student Society of the University of Western Sydney organized the mock OSCE to help the students perform better in their upcoming exams. The OSCE stations included history taking and physical examinations. From this, I got opportunity to compare the examination patterns of PAHS and UWS, which I found quite similar to each other. Similarly I got chance to have a brief visit through the MacArthur Hospital (one of the teaching hospitals of Campbelltown Medical School). The Hospital looked very organized and less crowded than that in Nepal. I also came to know about the healthcare insurance system of Australia.
The opportunity made me feel myself worthy and helped me to increase my level of self confidence. I got to learn many things directly and indirectly. This program gave an incredible opportunity to understand the health system of developed country as well as to compare and contrast the system of medical education in Australia and Nepal, especially the system of teaching and learning in PAHS and UWS. I found a lot of similarity between PAHS and UWS in context of teaching and learning methodologies. PBL, Lectures, Practicals and ICM classes are examples of such similarities. On the other hand, there are many differences also. One of such differences is CBLE,which is a unique feature of PAHS curriculumCBLE makes students well oriented with the real scenario of the community, health system of nation and seeks for possible strategies to alleviate the health problems of the society. It also provides an excellent platform for developing our research skills. Though UWS also has some components in the curriculum which orient students towards research activities, it is not much focused to be held in rural area.
I found myself surrounded by an incredibly welcoming group of students who supported me in almost everything I needed to know during my stay at the university. I would not have been able to stay so easily in such a different culture without the assistance of the Student Support Officers who helped me in almost each and every step. I deeply appreciate the hospitality shown to me by everyone at UWS, and particularly those students who guided me through everything from where to get the foods to navigating through the university premises and the city. I must thank Prof. Jenny Reath and Tim Usherwood from the bottom of my heart for their warm love and extreme support. Similarly I must appreciate the love and support from Dr. Louise Mcdonnel and her family. There are many others who helped me during my stay in Australia and the UWS and need a Mention. I am really grateful to all of them.
The vision of UWS is also similar to that of PAHS. Similar in the sense that, the graduates of the Campbelltown campus (UWS, School of Medicine), which is located in the semi rural Macarthur region in the south western Sydney, are expected to practice in the western Sydney region to redress the shortage of healthcare professionals in the area, as PAHS expects its students to work in rural Nepal.
My experience at UWS reinforced my passion for rural health, and particularly for improving rural access to healthcare around the globe. This experience will form an invaluable part of the foundation of my career, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity. This kind of exchange programs is really worth doing and I truly hope this will continue for future students also.
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