Past activities in community education have supported my passion for medical education and for the promotion of health and interest in medicine.

 

Rockin’ Docs Summer Camp

 

Rockin’ Docs Summer Camp, 2010: Hosted by the MD Ambassadors Program at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, as part of a health-oriented summer camp targeted to children between 7 and 13 years old from inner city elementary and junior high schools. My involvement was as a volunteer physician guest speaker, who led a interactive talk on antibiotics entitled “How Drugs Kill Bugs!”

 

Telus World of Science, Edmonton

 

Body Worlds 1 Exhibit, Medical Specialist, 2008: Volunteered as a Health & Medical Specialist, helping to share knowledge of human anatomy and engage the visitors at special Touch Table stations, where real lung and liver specimens were used to show some of their properties, resilience and vulnerability.

 

Medical Students’ Association, MD Ambassadors Program, University of Alberta

 

Skin Cancer Awareness Program, 2007: Interactive presentations given, in association with the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation, to elementary school students in grades 5 and 6. The program focuses on promoting safe sun attitudes and behaviours in Edmonton’s youth. Discussions involved basic scientific information about ultraviolet light and skin cancers (including the ABCDE’s highlighting concerning appearances of skin lesion), as well as prevention methods.

 

High School and Post-Secondary Outreach Committee, 2006-2007: Promoted Faculty of Medicine at the high school and post-secondary level. My involvement was through outreach sessions to local high school students that involved facilitating problem-based learning sessions, and presentations to foster interest in medicine at various schools.

 

Butt-Out Smoking Prevention Program, 2005-2006: Presentations over four weeks to elementary students in Grade 5 and 6. This program was developed with Alberta Learning, and funding support from the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission. Education involved conducting experiments, playing games, having students develop their own anti-smoking commercials, and exposure to a number of materials, including parts of lungs preserved in formaldehyde from smokers and non-smokers, that show the effects of smoking.