On October 26th, 2019 HCOP students met for their 3rd HCOP session of the 2019-2020 Health Careers Ambassador Program. This session, students explored the subject of communication and team building, and health professional students had the opportunity to learn from Dr. Richard Brown on the subject of what it means to be a healthcare leader.
The first portion of the session was devoted to learning more about communication. As students, and as future healthcare professionals, one of the most vital skills HCOP students can practice is how to communicate effectively with peers and instructors as well as patients and their families. To understand the art of communication better, HCOP students had the opportunity to experience the Empathy Toy. This toy was originally designed with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind to bridge the communication gap between visually impaired students and their sighted classmates. It has since been turned into a learning tool designed for individuals of any age or ability. The toy, which uses tactile objects and blindfolded contestants, allows individuals to practice listening and giving directions in a totally new way.
Meanwhile, the health professional students had the opportunity to spend the morning with Dr. Richard Brown, former CEO of Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. (FQHC). Dr. Brown spoke with the students on the subject of what it means to be a leader in the field of healthcare. Students were able to ask questions about navigating the arena of healthcare and the obstacles new healthcare professionals often face.
The session ended with a chance for HCOP students to break into their mentoring groups and participate in some team-building challenges. Mentoring groups are composed of undergraduate and high school students, led by a health professional student mentor. Groups had the chance to win prizes in a couple of get-to-know-you games, which culminated in a tower-building challenge. Students were able to use their teamwork and ingenuity as they competed to build the tallest tower out of only spaghetti, tape and marshmallows. Overall, session 3 was a day full of laughter, learning, and strengthening student bonds as well as building those ever-important communication skills for the future.
Slides from this session can be found here.