Offer Holder Newsletter

As part of our commitment to interprofessional education Bangor students from Law and Medicine came together in November for a simulated coroner’s inquest. Kate Robertson the coroner for North Wales (West) was in attendance and made sure that the experience was as true to life as possible for the students, including telling off some of our lecturers for not being quiet in court! 

There were also two actors in attendance, playing family members of the deceased, who were questioned by the law students acting as the legal teams for the hospital trust and the family. Our medical students were also questioned by the legal teams and given the opportunity to demonstrate their medical knowledge in relation to the case and to understand how to answer questions in these types of inquest.  

This was a great experience for the medical students who may at some point in their future careers be summoned to attend a coroners court. Interprofessional education matters because they're not just learning in their separate worlds. Learning from each other, and gaining a broader perspective of how they will work with other professions in the future means that if these situations arise in their future career they'll feel confident and prepared. 

At Bangor we teach our medical students through case-based learning where students apply their knowledge to real world medical scenarios. As part of this method, we run a Rural Health Day for our Year 2 students– a hands-on experience that brings their case-based learning to life. In case 17, focused on rural health, students undergo lectures, first aid training, and workshops before diving into a unique simulation day ‘in the field’ in collaboration with key partners like Mountain Rescue and the Welsh Ambulance Service. 

Actors, made up with fake blood and makeup, create realistic scenarios, challenging students to navigate rural emergencies. The case involves learning how to approach the scene of an accident safely, assessing patients with injuries due to trauma Learning about the role of paramedics and how emergency services prioritise in situations of multiple casualties. 

Beyond textbooks and lectures, this Rural Health Day equips our students with resilience and the confidence to face rural healthcare challenges and high-pressure situations as well as the experience of working collaboratively with key services such as paramedics.  

Two of our third-year medical students had the exciting opportunity to participate in a Teddy Bear’s Clinic hosted at a local primary school here in North Wales. Assigned to their own group of children, aged between 4 and 6 years, each student skilfully interacted with both the child and their ailing teddy bear. Through meticulous history-taking and examination, they devised a comprehensive management plan for the 'sick' teddy bear, employing an array of plasters, bandages, and 'injections.' 

This unique experience served as a valuable platform for honing their paediatric communication skills, offering a chance to engage with children in a playful and enjoyable environment. In addition to aligning with the children's curriculum of Health and Wellbeing, the Teddy Bear’s Clinic provided our medical students with an opportunity to cultivate their teaching skills through interactive role-playing. 

The Teddy Bear’s Clinic not only enriched our students' medical education by refining their skills but also served as an enjoyable extracurricular activity, offering a joyful and impactful way for them to connect with the community and make a positive difference in the lives of young learners and their ailing teddy bears!