Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students Professor Ellen Douglas-Cowie and Sentinus Chair Jim Stewart prescribe Medics in Primary Schools for Cairnshill Primary School pupils Sarah Dawson, Lara Horner and Jack Diver

Hundreds of primary school pupils from the greater Belfast area are set to benefit from healthy living advice, thanks to medical students from Queen's.

The 2010 Medics In Primary Schools’ scheme, which takes place over 12 weeks, is being run in partnership with Sentinus, the largest provider of science and technology programmes to schools in Northern Ireland.  As part of the initiative, primary schoolchildren study four topics including healthy skin, heart and lungs, brain and general well-being.

Professor Paddy Johnston, Dean of the University’s School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, said: “Medics in Primary Schools is a unique teaching programme offered by second year medical students at Queen’s. We are delighted to welcome Sentinus as our collaborators for this year’s programme.  Medics in Primary Schools offer both partners an opportunity to promote engagement in science-based subjects among P7 pupils in schools in the Greater Belfast Area. 

“During the next 12 weeks medical students will guide schoolchildren through a health education programme that will focus on the heart, lungs, skin and the brain.  The medical students will act as positive role models encouraging primary school pupils to consider a career in medicine or science. The students, in turn, will gain experience in communicating information to schoolchildren from a variety of backgrounds.”

Jim Stewart, Chairman of Sentinus, said: “Throughout the programme the primary school children gain awareness on a number of health related issues – they also get exposure to inspiring role models who can help shape decisions regarding their future career.  The Medics in Primary Schools programme grows in popularity year on year with more schools wanting to get involved. It offers fantastic learning opportunities for both the graduates and young students. ”

The programme is offered as a student selected module within the medical students’ second year course. Students have a placement one afternoon a week throughout February, March and April in a primary school, during which they deliver a short science and health education programme to P6 or P7 pupils.

The MIPS Teaching and Learning Guide can be downloaded at www.sentinus.co.uk/product.php?id=35.

For media enquiries please contact: Anne Langford, Corporate Affairs, +44 (0)28 9097 5310, Mob: 07815 871 997, a.langford@qub.ac.uk