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

Figures & data

Table

Practice points

Medical students can learn how to engage children and gain children's cooperation while performing basic paediatric examination. Kindergarten students are able to become familiar with a hospital and student doctors, and consolidate classroom learning regarding health and the human body. The programme promotes the important ongoing relationship of the children's hospital and its local primary schools.

Table 1.  ‘Meet the medical student’ programme schedule for Kindergarten students

Session with medical students	50 min
• Gross motor skills (hopping, skipping, heel-toe gait and jumping 3 m)
• Pulse and blood pressure
• Auscultation of heart and lungs
• Visual acuity and otoscopy
• Measuring head circumference, height and weight
Students from different rooms converge to meet in common venue	10 min
Light refreshment	10 min
Clown doctors/play therapist	10 min
Starlight Express Room visit*	10 min

Note: *The Starlight Express Room is designed to provide fun and entertainment for patients and their siblings.

Table 2.  Medical students’ and tutors’ assessment of the session

Question	Number of students responding (%)	Student responses rating 4 or 5* (%)	Number of tutors	Tutor responses rating 4 or 5 (%)
Rate demonstration of practical skills by tutor	216 (99.5)	92	Not asked	N/A
Indicate how the graduate capability of effective communication was addressed during the session	217 (100.0)	93	6	83
Indicate how the graduate capability of basic and clinical sciences was addressed	214 (98.6)	31	6	50
Indicate how the graduate capability of social and cultural aspects of health and disease was addressed	211 (97.2)	28	6	17
Indicate how the graduate capability of patient assessment was addressed	216 (99.5)	80	6	83
Indicate how the graduate capability of ethics and legal responsibilities was addressed	213 (98.2)	48	6	50
Rate how the session helped medical students appreciate the challenges involved in examining children	216 (99.5)	94	6	100
Rate how the session helped medical students appreciate the cognition level of a 6 year old	216 (100)	83	Not asked	N/A
Rate how the session helped medical students appreciate the gross motor skills of a 6 year old	215 (99)	82	Not asked	N/A
Indicate how the session highlighted the role the hospital plays within the community	216 (100)	47	6	50
Rate how session achieved its main aim of teaching medical students how to interact with well children	215 (99)	94	6	100
Rate session overall	216 (100)	97	Not asked	N/A
Indicate whether this session merits ongoing inclusion in curriculum	214 (99)	94	6	100
Rate tutor's guide	Not asked	N/A	6	67
Rate preparation provided to tutors	Not asked	N/A	6	83
Rate suitability of venue	Not asked	N/A	6	0
Rate suitability of stations	Not asked	N/A	6	83

Notes: N/A = not applicable. *4 or 5 indicated ‘well’ or ‘very well’.

Table 3.  Schools’ assessment of the ‘meet the medical student’ programme

Question	Number of schools attending (n = 7)	Rating 4 or 5 (%)
Rate ‘meet the medical student’ flyers	7 (100%)	100
Rate booking system	7	100
Rate pre-excursion package sent to school	7	100
Rate structure of programme	7	100
Rate session with the medical students	7	100
Rate talk from clown doctors or play therapist	6 (86%)	72
Rate visit to Starlight Express Room	7	86
Indicate relevance to Kindergarten PDHPE syllabus	7	100
Rate effectiveness of programme in allaying students’ fears of hospitals and doctors	7	100
Rate effectiveness of programme in promoting the hospital as part of community	7	100
Rate programme overall	7	100
Indicate likelihood of school participating next year	7	100

Table 4.  Dominant themes from comments supplied by medical students, tutors and teachers

Group	Positive comments	Negative comments
Medical students	• challenges of examining children were appreciated	• larger venue was required
	• experience was enjoyable	• more emphasis on accurate recording of signs such as blood pressure measurement was desirable
	• should have ongoing inclusion in curriculum
Tutors	• ongoing inclusion warranted as programme was innovative	• venue was too small
		• more preparation for students prior to the session in form of pre-reading material and demonstration time was required
Teachers	• experience was positive for the Kindergarten children	• parts of the programme were a little rushed such as the visit to Starlight Express Room
	• keen to participate in programme again the following year