The Northern Medical Program (NMP) at UNBC will be holding a six week Mini Med School this fall.
It takes place on six consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 pm starting on October 11 and ending on November 15.
Several medical professionals will provide first-hand knowledge on several topics.
“We have a basic scientist who does lab research who is coming in to talk to us about diabetes and the science behind diabetes and we will have an orthopedic surgeon who will talk about fractures or when you break a bone how does it get back together,” says Dr. Malgorzata Kaminska, NMP assistant professor. “It will range from how we read X-rays and what does a bone look like under the microscope. There is a whole array of these kinds of topics that touch upon things that most people will experience for themselves or for their loved ones in their life.”
Kaminska says anyone who registers will have the chance to get some hands-on experience.
“One session, in particular, is around the management of a car accident. We will have our participants trying to intubate mannequins, wooden chest tubes and all the stuff that you see on television you actually get to try it out and be guided by professionals.”
She believes learning how this scenario works from a medical point of view will give people a better idea of what actually happens.
“What is happening when your loved one comes in from a car accident is something that everyone should know,” Kaminska says. “I think that we often get scared when we see all the doctors, nurses and all the healthcare professionals swarming around a patient and tubes going in and you wonder how did it get in there and did it hurt your loved one.”
Kaminska says the curriculum is a great opportunity for those who want to be a medical student or would like a career in health sciences.
The curriculum is open to all ages but any under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
People can register online for $30 through the Northern Medical Program’s website.
Five out of the six sessions will be at the Health Sciences Centre at UNBC while the hands-on session will be hosted at University Hospital.