Medical Students as Health and Environmental Promoters

by Salma Galal, M.D.

Impact of the pilot

1. The empowerment of the students is a process which makes them continue even after having graduated from Medical School. Once they experience voluntary work they will like it forever.

2. Other students, hearing of the process of the SHE-Group, identified themselves with the process and joined the group to start similar experiment in their own community.

3. Other target groups in need of health education were identified like working personnel in the faculty or students in the hostels. Some students started their health education activities with these groups.

4. Students asked faculty members to volunteer with clinical examination in the community. Some patients were sent to the university hospital for investigation.

5. Students from other faculties also wanted to join the group. However, as administrative problems arose, it was not possible. The SHE-Group offered to cooperate with their faculty offering their advise on health issues.

6. Ten of the students published their experiences, which were handed to other faculty members and circulated among students.

7. Graduating students, young female doctors, wanted to continue the process during their work. Some of them continued within the domain of patient education and others went on with community education.

8. There was an interest to establish an NGO on "Health and environmental education" (it is in the process of initiation) for continuing voluntary work after the graduation.

For comments, suggestions, and feedback please email: heea_egypt@yahoo.com.