ASIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS'
ASSOCIATION HONG KONG
(AMSAHK)
Medical Education
Standing Committee on Medical Education (SCOME)
OUR VISION
Our mission is to enable medical students to attain an optimal professional and personal development, to reach their full potential as future doctors for better health care worldwide.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to be the frame in which medical students worldwide contribute to the development of medical education. Students convene in SCOME to share and learn about medical education in order to improve it as well as benefit the most from it on a personal and professional basis.
Projects
Breaking the Silence
It has been drawn to our attention that the focus on healthcare accessibility to minorities such as the deaf community is still insufficient. To prevent repetition of tragedies like the Kwai Chung Hospital incident which involved the death of a deaf patient who required psychological support, we feel obliged to provide future medical personnel with the training and consciousness to enhance healthcare quality for the neglected population. With the above vision in mind, SCOME of AMSAHK organised "Breaking the Silence", a two part event consisting of a sign language and deaf awareness training course, and a social media campaign.
In collaboration with SLCO-Community resources we carried out 4 sessions of clinical sign language workshops at 2 universities in Hong Kong from October to November 2022. Medical students had the chance to learn basic sign language, such as the alphabet, and those related to greetings and healthcare. Besides, it included a deaf simulation and sharings from deaf teachers and university students to help participants better emphasise with future deaf patients.
Our social media campaign consisted of four parts. We first invited some participants to share with us their takeaways after the workshops as part of our evaluation methods, and provided with the audience background information regarding the deaf patient population. Consequently, we invited two doctors - Dr. Danny Wong, who raised a deaf daughter, and Dr. Oscar Wong, who encountered a deaf psychiatric patient - to share their experiences on our social media page. This was then followed by a month-span of weekly sign language videos, where we taught our followers basic sign language like the alphabet chart.
SCORA x SCOME: Speak Up: Sexually Smarter
SCORA x SCOME: Speak Up: Sexually Smarter is a collaboration between SCOME, SCORA and Sagami HK. Through 2 separate workshops at HKU and CUHK, medical students will learn about sexual health and STD prevention through an interactive condom making activity including steps from making the latex to shaping the condom. Aside from the hands-on condom making activity, the workshop also consists of a Q&A session that allows participants to ask the questions relevant to their own sexual health.
SCOPH x SCOME “Challenges and Opportunities for Transborder Health Issues” Public Health Workshop for the Next Generation
The SCOPH x SCOME “Challenges and Opportunities for Transborder Health Issues” Public Health Workshop for the Next Generation is a 2-day workshop for secondary school students interested in medicine to broaden their insights in tobacco control and post-pandemic recovery. For the first day of the workshop, participants first listened to an introductory presentation by SCOME and SCOPH on the rundown and aims of the programme. This was followed by a presentation by Emeritus Professor Lam Tai Hing, one of the world's leading scientists and advocates on tobacco control, including an overview of tobacco control in Hong Kong, the harmful effects of smoking, as well as
Professor Lam’s experience in tobacco control research, campaigns and advocacy. Participants then took part in various interactive workshops. To better understand the components of cigarettes, participants matched chemicals present in cigarettes with commonly known products that also contain these same chemicals. Participants also gained insight into the health effects of tobacco use through a straw simulation activity and the game of life that simulates the impact of smoking or vaping through the life course of a smoker or vaper. After learning about smoking and its harmful impacts, participants were then put into groups for the advocacy competition which required them to come up with a 5-8 minute presentation for other secondary school students to advocate for a reduction in smoking or vaping rates. The presentation was then judged by SCOPH and SCOME, and prizes were awarded to two groups with the most creative and impactful project.
Mental Health Initiative: SCOME x HKU Wellness Counselling Workshop
In continuation with the theme of mental health, we strongly felt that through prioritising mental health among medical students, we would be able to help ensure that students are able to thrive and succeed in their studies and future careers as healthcare professionals. Improved mental health leads to high-quality care and effective communication with patients, leading to better health outcomes for everyone involved.
With the current mental health landscape amongst medical students, through this counselling workshop we hoped to provide medical students with the skills that would empower them to help those around
them that may be encountering mental health-related issues. Led by Billy Chan, a social worker from HKU’s wellness team, participants were engaged through motivational interviewing, interactive exercises, and role play situations to provide them with a holistic perspective on the intricacies of counselling.
Mental Health Initiative: Eating Disorders Booth
As part of the Mental Health Initiative, SCOME added an additional booth on Dr Dogs day to address misconceptions about eating disorders to improve HKU and CUHK students’ mental health. Prior to the activity, we prepared a set of questions for our participants to answer as an interactive method to learn more about common eating disorders. By designing posters and brochures, we provided information about eating disorders, their symptoms and warning signs, and available treatments. We asked participants three questions after they threw three darts in accordance with the number on the dartboard. If they answered correctly, they were given a goodies bag as a reward. After throwing the dartboard and completing the quiz, we gave our participant a brief Q&A session to dispel myths and clarify misconceptions about eating disorders. By setting up this booth with HKU Wellness counselling and Dr Dog’s Day, participants were able to be involved in a series of activities in our Mental Health Initiative.