Crossing Borders update 28th March 2007

“Taught” external SSC (2008)

• Jienchi provided contact details of people in different universities who already run student projects in refugee healthcare.

• Amy contacted these contacts by email to ask about how these courses are run.

• Several replies were received, some of which included examples of timetables, and useful references etc.

• Amy has forwarded this information and the contact details to Liz Anderson (teaching fellow in Psychiatry who teaches on the International Health course and wants to set-up a taught SSC on refugee healthcare for 2008).

Independent external SSCs (2007)

• Amy emailed several potential supervisors for the external SSC titles proposed by Crossing Borders.

• Professor Lesley Doyal (School for Policy Studies, and teacher on International Health course) has agreed to supervise any of the suggested titles.

• The titles and supervisor have been approved by David Cahill. An email advertising the projects will be sent to third year students by the Galenicals’ secretary, saying that interested students should contact Amy. The first few students who apply will then be put in contact with Lesley Doyal.

Further notes

• Jienchi has forwarded contact details of two more people who might be able to help with SSCs (Sue Njie and Fred Corfe); these could be experiential SSCs.

• A document will be put together about possibilities for practical SSCs/ experiential components to the taught SSCs. This will be sent to Liz Anderson.

• Deadline for third year external SSC applications is beginning of May, and with Easter in between it seems unlikely that external SSCs other than those outlines in the previous section will be organised in time; however if any Crossing Borders members feel keenly that they should be offered, please let Amy know ( ac2935@bristol.ac.uk ).

Update on 15th April

• Several third year students expressed an interest in undertaking the independent SSCs suggested by Crossing Borders. After having requested further information (which was provided), most did not make contact again. In is appreciated that it is the Easter holidays, and this might make it harder for people to remain in contact. In general, students thought hey would be able to do a research project, but were told that as ethics approval would be needed for this, it would be very difficult to do.

• One student is still interested, and is being followed-up.

• The leader of the educational section of the national committee for Crossing Borders has made contact with Amy, asking if she may have the SSC materials obtained from other universities. The people who initially sent these to Amy have been contacted to ask for their permission to do this.

To Do List

SSCs

• Follow-up interested student for third year external SSCs (Amy).

• Forward SSC materials to national committee rep for education (if permission granted) (Amy).

• Thank Prof Doyal for agreeing to supervise (whether a project is taken-up or not) (Amy)

Core curriculum

• Make list of units throughout the whole medical course where Crossing Borders-related issues are already covered (need people to help with this – if each year could be covered by someone in that year, that would be great. If you can do this, please let me know which year group you will cover).