Introducing clinical paediatrics to medical students: a novel hospital visitation programme involving Kindergarten children.

BACKGROUND

Increasing numbers of medical students in Australia and shorter paediatric hospitalisations require new and creative ways to teach clinical paediatric medicine. At the University of New South Wales, Sydney, we developed a programme involving well Kindergarten children visiting Sydney Children's Hospital to introduce medical students to clinical paediatric medicine.

AIM

The aim was to teach medical students how to engage children and gain their cooperation while performing paediatric examinations.

METHODS

Eight sessions were conducted involving 240 Kindergarten students from seven local primary schools and 217 medical students. School children were escorted by medical students through five activities comprising examination of gross motor skills, testing visual acuity and otoscopy, measuring growth parameters, chest auscultation, pulse counting and blood pressure cuff inflation. Questionnaires were used to gather quantitative and qualitative evaluation data.

RESULTS

The programme achieved its main objective, with 94% of students rating highly their learning about interacting with children and appreciating the challenges in examining them. Medical students (94%), tutors (100%) and participating schools (100%) thought the programme should be continued.

CONCLUSION

This new, innovative programme involving well children introduces medical students to clinical paediatric medicine.