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College of Medicine MD Curriculum

Student-to-Student (S2S) Health Education Elective

TITLE: Student-to-Student (S2S) Health Education Elective

COURSE NO.: SOMN 719

DEPARTMENT: Health Science Campus Student Life

DURATION: 1 semester (M2 Fall; M1 Spring)

DIRECTOR (faculty responsible for grading): Carlos A. C. Baptista MD, PhD / Shirley Bodi, MD

COORDINATOR: Student-to-Student Program Director, Elected President from the Student Body, Others to be named in the election of the officers

FACULTY PARTICIPANTS: Carlos A. C. Baptista, MD, PhD

STAFF PARTICIPANTS: Beth Dalzell, Anatomy Lab Supervisor; Diane Durliat, Body Donation Program Coordinator

SEMESTERS AVAILABLE: Fall and Spring

NUMBER OF STUDENTS: Approximately 15 per year (depending on the number that complete the requirements)

LOCATION: Health Science Campus classrooms, Plastination Museum and Anatomy Lab Area elementary, middle, and high schools

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of this elective is to provide medical students with the opportunity to share their knowledge about a wide variety of health-related topics with elementary, middle, and high school students in the greater Toledo area. Student to Student has been active on campus for over 20 years and over this time it has enriched the educational experiences of the medical students that participate and the students they educate. By visiting local schools and also hosting high school classes at the Health Science Campus, UTCOM students serve as stewards of the University in the community.

There are two different arms of Student to Student.

  1. Medical students visit local schools and present on a topic chosen by the classroom teacher. The topics include alcohol abuse, smoking, nutrition, the five senses, sexually- transmitted infections, the heart, the brain, and the path to becoming a doctor.
  2. High school science classes visit the Health Science Campus for a tour of the Anatomy Lab and Plastination Museum. Medical students lead the tours in which they teach the high school students about the human body using a human cadaver, isolated organs, and plastinated specimens. Presentations and tours are generally scheduled from October through April. (Last year, the volunteer efforts of medical students made it possible for Student to Student to serve over 2,500 kindergarten through 12th grade students.)

GOALS:

  1. Give medical students the opportunity to plan and deliver effective presentations on health-related topics for area K-12 students.
  2. Encourage younger students to pursue further education and careers in science and medicine.
  3. Act as good representatives of the University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences through professional attitude and teaching interactions.

EDUCATIONAL COURSE OBJECTIVES: Through participation in the elective, students should be able to:

  1. Develop effective communication skills for relating to students ranging in age from elementary to high school.(EPOs: IPC-2)
  2. Discuss the University of Toledo Anatomical Donation Program. (EPOs: IPC-2)
  3. Describe and discuss the different organ systems in a human cadaver. (EPOs: MK-1)
  4. Describe and discuss the major functions of each organ system and the relevant pathology. (EPOs: MK-1)
  5. Engage students and teachers in a discussion about organ systems and anatomy while answering questions as they arise. (EPOs: IPC-2)
  6. Explain the importance of service and how it can be incorporated into the study and practice of medicine. (EPOs: SBP-1)

METHODS OF TEACHING:

  • Orientation: New students to the program will visit the Anatomy Lab and the Plastination Museum with Student to Student club officers to learn about the Anatomical Donation Program, the rules of the Anatomy Lab and Museum, and the guidelines for giving a tour. Students will examine the human cadaver and plastinated specimens and become familiar with the major organ systems and any unusual aspects of that particular cadaver. In addition, new students will observe a tour given by a more experienced student before giving one on their own.
  • Presentations and tours: Students will learn through participation in the educational outreach efforts of the program. PowerPoint presentations are prepared for the students to use for classroom presentations and guidelines are given for the Anatomy Lab tours. However, much of the learning is self-led. As students prepare for presentations and tours, they are encouraged to incorporate their outside knowledge into the program and to share their experiences with other medical student participants. The material will give students the opportunity to revisit topics already covered in classroom lectures and labs, while tailoring it to the audience to which they are presenting.
  • Student to Student club meetings: Students will attend meetings to review the progress of the program, provide feedback, and collaborate with their peers.
  • Outside project: Students will select an additional project to complete that will contribute to the mission of Student to Student. These can include further dissecting a certain part of the cadaver, updating one of the presentation PowerPoints, or designing a new presentation. Each of these projects will require the student to perform outside research and will allow them to share their knowledge with other medical students and ultimately with younger students. As an alternative, students can complete a reflection paper that examines their experience with the program, the challenges they faced, and ways that it could be improved.

METHODS OF STUDENT EVALUATION:

  • Direct observation of presentations and tours by Student to Student club officers and other Student to Student club members
  • Evaluations completed by classroom teachers after presentations and tours Completion of an outside project, as described above

PROCEDURES:

  • In order to receive credit, students will be required to complete the following tasks (approximately 15-20 hours):
    • Attend Student to Student club meetings and the orientation
    • Complete 8 tours or presentations over the course of the year (with at least one of each)
    • Complete an outside project
  • Student to Student club officers (Presentation Coordinator and Tours Coordinator) will maintain current records as students complete tours and presentations.
  • A list of students that have completed the elective requirements will be submitted to the Registrar in May of each year.

LINKAGE TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

Medical Knowledge:

MK-1 Describe normal and abnormal structure and function for all organ systems across the life span.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills:

IPC-2 Communicate with colleagues across health professions in a respectful, professional, and timely manner to ensure interdisciplinary and interprofessional delivery of high-quality care.

Systems-Based Practice:

SBP-1 Assess the roles and responsibilities of physicians and other healthcare professionals in various models of healthcare organizations and determine the impact of finances/economics on delivery of health care.

ELECTIVE EVALUATION: Throughout the elective, we will continue to solicit feedback from the students regarding challenges that are encountered and ideas for improvement. Student to Student club already has an established system for receiving written or electronic evaluations from each teacher whose class participates in the program. These will be reviewed as we modify our program and try to offer additional schools the opportunity to participate.

PREREQUISITES (if any): Must be a medical student at UTCOMLS; Other training and orientation as discussed above

ECC Approved
July 2023

Last Updated: 7/25/23