COMMUNITY HEALTH EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

The Department of Community Health offers this Programme to medical students interested in knowing more about Community and Public Health.

1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION.

DURATION

1 Month during second academic semester (2-2005)

PLACE.

Faculty of Medicine of Universidad “Dr. José Matías Delgado”.

programme objectives.

• To familiarise exchange students with the work performed by our University's medical students and teachers, in the specific area of Community / Public Health.
• To promote professional relationships between Faculties of Medicine abroad and the Universidad “Dr. José Matías Delgado”

TUTORS.

An English-speaking tutor will be assigned to an exchange student to help him/her design a personal time table depending on his/her preferences and each of the following projects' schedules. The tutor will be able to provide academic orientation by discussing the topics and directing students on how to acquire additional knowledge on the areas of his/her interest. Tutors may help students develop specific abilities and attitudes, depending on their Study Plan requirements.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS.

Exchange students need to manage a good level of Spanish, for all of the activities are carried out in that language. Nevertheless, the Community Health Department has English fluent teachers that may help exchange students when necessary. Several of our medical students are also English fluent, so no matter what project(s) is(are) chosen, there will be assistance with the language, in situ.

TRANSPORTATION.

Though theory is reviewed in Campus located classrooms, practice takes place in several locations, 5 to 25 minutes from the University, depending on the project. Medical students are to get to their practices by their own means. This is usually done by sharing each others cars. Exchange students may find this an agreeable arrangement.

EVALUATION.

Exchange Students evaluation will depend on agreements previously achieved between fostering and partner Universities. For this reason it will be necessary to first determine these evaluation parameters.

FACILITIES.

Campus has a Central Library and several Computer-rooms. The Faculty of Medicine has its own Computer Lab to enable medical students to do their own researches. Computers are connected to the Internet and to Virtual Data Bases specialised in Health Topics (LILACS, SciELO, BVS) trough El Salvador's Pan American Health Organisation representatives. Full text articles can be accessed this way.

2. PROJECTS.

Exchange students may choose to participate in any of the following projects that will be developed during next academic semester (2-2005):

JAYAQUE SCHOOL HEALTH CARE PROYECT, 3RD PHASE.

Project's objectives:

• To promote the development of a healthy life style among school children in order to contribute with overweigh control.
• To collaborate with the Ministry of Health Healthy Schools' Programme by carrying out activities specifically belonging to the Programme.

Subjects involved: Community Health 3, 5 and 7; Public Health, Preventive Medicine and Community Oriented Primary Care.

Place: “Llano Verde” School, in Jayaque, a community approximately 30 km from Campus.

Medical Students involved: Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth – year.

Activities: The medical students will participate in this project, according to their level of study. Second and Third– year medical students will learn to elaborate and adequately use educational material for Primary and Secondary School teaching; while Fifth and Sixth–year students will examine children and administer adequate treatment (when pertinent) under teachers supervision.

Project will be develop in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Private Enterprises and this University.

Transportation: will be provided by this University.

Duration: one month (August - September 2005).

Schedule: Visits will be scheduled according to each subjects' academic programmes for the 2 nd semester, 2005.

Language: Spanish

SEXUAL HEALTH PROJECT.

Project's objectives:

• To train medical students in the Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) practices through the implementation of a Sexual Education Project.
• To contribute to our own Community's Sexual Health by implementing a COPC Sexual Education Project.

Subject Involved: COPC.

Place: Faculty of Communications, in Campus.

Medical Students involved: Sixth year

Activities: Workshops will enable medical students to implement a Sexual Health Community Oriented Project which they themselves elaborated last semester. Sessions will enable students to review and discuss theoretical aspects about STDs, Family Planning, Gender, Behaviourism, Education and Communication, while at the same time preparing suitable methods to accomplish peer education (discussions, case-studies, games, demonstrations, and such). Practice will be carried out in the Faculty of Communications, where medical students will have to develop the necessary skills to teach young adults through peer-education.

Project will develop in collaboration with the Communication Faculty and the Campus' Clinic Personnel.

Transportation: will not be needed.

Duration: one semester (2- 2005).

Schedule: Theory and practice is distributed in 6 hr sessions, every Monday, beginning on July 25 th .

Language: Spanish.

English spoken teachers.

CLINICAL COUNSELLING FOR FAMILY PLANNING

Project's objectives:

• To train medical students in Family Planning Counselling so they will be able to promote the informed consent practice among their clients.
• To collaborate with Health Ministry in the Women's Care Programme by carrying out activities specifically belonging to the Programme.

Subject involved: Public Health

Place: Campus and Four Ministry of Health's Primary Health Care Units assigned to our Medical School for practice. (10-20 min from Campus)

Medical Students involved: Fifth year.

Activities: theory is reviewed in several workshops and classes. These include family planning methods, counselling drills with imaginary clients and educational material elaboration. Practice is carried out, under teacher supervision, with real clients attending the Primary Health Care Units.

Transportation: self procured

Duration: one semester (2- 2005).

Schedule: Theory will be reviewed in Campus in one hour sessions, Thursdays and Fridays from August 19 th to 26 th ; practice will take place during Primary Health Care Units rotation (3 hr sessions, Mondays and Tuesdays) beginning July 25 th .

Language: Spanish.

PREVALENT CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES INTEGRAL CARE -THE AIEPI STRATEGY.

Project's objectives:

• To train medical students in Primary Prevention practices through the AIEPI Strategy.
• To collaborate with Ministry of Health in the Child Health Programme by carrying out activities specifically belonging to the Programme.

Subject involved: Community Health 7

Place: Campus and a Public Nursery.

Medical Students involved: Fifth year

Activities: the AIEPI (Atención Integral de las Enfermedades Prevalentes de la Infancia – Prevalent Childhood Illnesses Integral Care ) theory is reviewed in two workshops, in the University Campus. Practice will take place in a Public Nursery.

Transportation: self procured.

Duration: 6 hours.

Schedule: Theory and practice is distributed in 2 hr sessions, on October 12 th , 13 th and 24 th .

Language: Spanish

INTEGRAL HEALTH BIRGADE

Project's objectives:

• To give medical students the opportunity to gain experience in the organisation of a Primary Care Activity through the preparation of a Health Brigade.
• To aid the Ministry of Health through activities included in the Child, Women, Men and Senior Adults Health Programmes.

Subject involved: Community Health 7

Place: Campus and Santa Teresa, (a Semi-Rural Community), 5-10 min from Campus

Medical Students involved: Fifth year

Activities: Students will be directed to plan, manage and administer a Health Brigade that will take place in the Community at the end of their academic semester. This must include Primary and Secondary Prevention activities such as immunisation, PAP-smears, cardiovascular risk factors' screening, health promotion through education and medical care of children and adults (diagnosis and treatment of prevalent ailments).

Project will be develop in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

Transportation: self procured.

Duration: One month, Nov 2005.

Schedule: Theory is reviewed in 2 hr sessions, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Health Brigade will take place in Santa Teresa, Nov 24 th .

Language: Spanish

NEW INVESTIGATION PROJECT.

Objective:

• To inculcate the culture of investigation among medical students through the elaboration of an investigation protocol.
• To determine depression prevalence among seventh-year medical students (Interns) in San Rafael Hospital.

Subject involved: Community Health 7

Place: Campus

Medical Students involved: Fifth year

Activities: Students will be directed to elaborate a scientific investigation protocol. Theory will be reviewed in Campus.

Transportation: not needed.

Duration: one academic semester

Schedule: Theory and practice will be distributed in 2 hr. sessions, Wednesdays 9 -11.00; and Thursdays 2-4.00pm

  Language: Spanish

Solid Waste Integral Management ( Proyecto para el Manejo Integral de Los Desechos Sólidos - Promids) . 3 RD PHASE.

Project's objectives:

• To decrease health risks in El Espino communities by:.
• Educating communities' children, integrating them in inorganic disposal recycling committees.
• Educating families on correct waste disposal.
• To provide El Espino's Public School with adequate recycling deposits.

Subject involved: Community Health 6

Place: San Francisco, La Reforma and Los Mangales (3 Semi-Rural Communities). (10-15 min from Campus)

Medical Students involved: Forth year

Activities: medical students will prepare educational material to be used when visiting the communities' families and or the Public School. Students will to put into practice educational techniques with children and adults. The emphasis in this project will be given to school children education and children Committees' organisation. Strategy assumes this education will then spread to childrens' homes. Project is managed by the University with the assistance of two districts' municipalities, the Communities' Public School, and the Private Enterprises.

Transportation: self procured

Duration: one semester (2- 2005).

Schedule: Theory is reviewed in two-hour sessions, Mondays 9-11.00 am. Practice will take place in the Communities' Public School, two-hour sessions, Tuesdays 2-4.00 pm. beginning July 25 th .

Language: Spanish.

SOLPROMESA PROJECTS

Project's objectives:

• To train medical students in the “Solucionando Problemas en Salud” (Health Problems' Solving) or SOLPROMESA Strategy
• To decrease health risks in one semi rural community by implementing the SOLPROMESA Strategy mini-projects.

Subject involved: Community Health 3

Place: La Unión 2 (a Semi-Rural Community). (10-15 min from Campus)

Medical Students involved: Third year

Activities: medical students will be trained in the SOLPROMESA strategy, which implies the identification of a health problem or risk, of his/ her assigned community family, in order to design and implement a short intervention directed to correct or control said problem or risk.

Projects usually develop in collaboration with Private Enterprises.

Transportation: self procured

Duration: one semester (2- 2005).

Schedule: Theory is reviewed in two-hour sessions, Tuesdays 10-12.00 m. Practice will take place in La Unión Community, two-hour sessions, Wednesdays 2-4.00 pm. Course begins July 25 th .

Language: Spanish.

SENIORS HEALTH PROYECT.

Project's objectives:

• To promote a culture of service and volunteerism among medical students.
• To provide assistance to a Senior Women Home.

Subject involved: Anthropology

Place: Hogar de Ancianas (Senior Women Home) San Vicente de Paúl, Santa Tecla. 15 min from campus.

Medical Students Involved: First year, volunteers

Activities: Students who volunteer will aid nurses with intern's feeding, personal hygiene, mobilisation and accompaniment. Volunteers may help with the Home's cleaning, bedding, food preparation and laundry. Students will be supervised by teachers participating in the project, and or, by Home's personnel.

Project will be develop in collaboration with the Senior Women Home.

Transportation: each volunteer must provide his/her own.

Duration: Project will begins in 2 nd semester 2005. It is designed to be an ongoing project for as long as the volunteers remain in med-school.

Schedule: will depend on volunteer students' time table.

Language: Spanish.

3. CURRENT RESEARCH.

Exchange students may choose to participate in the current research that 6 Community Health Department teachers are conducting:

Cigarette Smoking among students of Santa Tecla and Antiguo Cuscatlán's urban areas.

O bjectives:

• To determine cigarette smoking prevalence among 4 th to 9 th graders of public and private schools in these municipalities.
• To determine students' attitudes, knowledge and beliefs concerning this subject in order to design an integral intervention project.

Type of study: transversal, descriptive.

Population: 13,980 students distributed in 30 schools.

Sample: 450 students

This scientific investigation began last academic semester and is now entering the phase of entering collected information into the SPSS program. August and September will see its analysis. Results are expected to be published by October.

4. FINAL WORDS

This proposal may be modified in order to better fit with the exchange students' interests. The establishment of a covenant between Universities, in order to develop mutual exchange programmes, is highly desirable.

For any additional information, please contact me:

Xinia Annette Castro Rivera, MD, MPH, MA

General Coordinator

Community Health Department

Phone: (503) 2278-1011 Ext. 163

Fax: (503) 2289-5314

e. mails: xiniacas@yahoo.com [1]

xinia_castro@yahoo.com [2]

xcastro@ujmd.edu.sv [3]

 

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