2023.02.23
Last year National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan launched its Post-baccalaureate Program in Medicine (PPM) in conjunction with the Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH), Hsinchu Branch, and its first cohort has recently completed a one-week practicum titled Community and Rural Medical Practice. The students in the program, all of whom are receiving government scholarships, spent the week at day care centers, community centers for the elderly suffering from dementia, and nursing homes for veterans. A portion of their time was spent in remote parts of Wufeng and Baoshan.
Immediately following the Lunar New Year, while most students were still enjoying winter vacation, this group of future medical professionals was in the field gaining valuable experience in rural medical care. During the introduction to the practicum, TVGH superintendent Chen Tzeng-ji (陳曾基) noted that this was the very first time such a course has been held in the Hsinchu area.
The course was designed by Wang Ying-mei (王瑛玫), director of the Teaching and Research Center at TVGH. The students were divided into four groups, and they were trained in such areas as emergency treatment, internal medicine, chronic conditions, mental illness, palliative and long-term care, as well as community, home, and rural medicine. In addition to learning how to apply what they have been learning in class, the participants became familiar with remote medicine, innovative medical care models, and home medicine.
The students were guided by nearly 30 personnel from TVGH, including physicians, case managers, specialist nurses, and head nurses, with separate modules being taught by Hung Chen-ying (洪振瀛), director of the Department of Internal Medicine; Hung, Chia-chen (洪嘉辰), director of the Department of Surgery; Chang Chen-ching (張震慶), director of the Department of Family Medicine; and Lin Ming-teng (林明燈), director of the Department of Psychiatry.
The first stop for this cohort of enthusiastic medical students was the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village, Zhudong Township. Lin Ming-teng, together with Hsieh Cheng-ting (謝程庭), a case manager from the TVGH Psychiatric Department, showed the students how to assist elderly people suffering from dementia by measuring their blood pressure, leading them in calisthenics, and interviewing their family members. By the end of the two-hour activity, many of the students had exchanged Line IDs with the elderly patients so that they could easily keep in touch.
Family physician Chiou Jin-der (邱金德) and case manager Tai Chun-chu (戴君竹) took the students to Wufeng Township to visit an elderly Atayal man who is currently receiving palliative care at home. Having so many visitors at the same time brought tears to his eyes. For their part, the students were pleased to “just provide some emotional support to the elderly,” student Tsai Ting-jung (蔡婷蓉) said.
Student Chen Cai-tong (陳采彤) was deeply impressed by a person suffering from mental illness who nonetheless helped take care of his bedridden father. Such interactions with patients and family members have helped her see that behind each illness there is a real person.
“When the teacher asked us about the medical needs in remote villages, I wondered if it was a trick question,” said Chen with a smile. She was also quite impressed by the extent of the personal attention given to patients by both doctors and case managers.
What impressed student Shen Ho-chien (沈和謙) the most was the hospice run by the TVGH, which does a good job of helping those in the final stages of their lives have a peaceful passing. The hospice also provides emotional support to their families, “all of which helps make death and dying less scary for medical students,” said Shen.
“Early in the program, we take students into remote areas to find out what is needed and what sorts of problems they will encounter, for which purpose the role of the Hsinchu TVGH has been invaluable,” explained PPM assistant director Chang, Hwan-you (張晃猷). He also said that these practicums help students choose their area of specialization, and that it’s important to have personal interaction with practitioners of one’s future profession.
NTHU students making a house call to a palliative care patient in Wufeng Township.
NTHU students making a house call to a palliative care patient in Wufeng Township.
NTHU students visiting a palliative care patient in an aboriginal area of Wufeng Township.
Family physician Chiou Jin-der (邱金德) (second from left) answering questions from NTHU students at a patient’s home in Wufeng.
An aboriginal elder of Wufeng (third from left) leading NTHU students in a traditional shout of encouragement.
NTHU student leading calisthenics at the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village.
NTHU students with an elder at the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village.
NTHU student leading calisthenics at the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village.
NTHU students sharing a laugh with an elder at the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village.
The visit by NTHU students to the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village was led by Lin Ming-teng (林明燈), director of the Department of Psychiatry at the Hsinchu TVGH.
NTHU students sharing a laugh with an elder at the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village.
Elders and NTHU students at the Lezhi Learning Center in Zhongshan Village.
TVGH superintendent Chen Tzeng-ji (陳曾基) (center) supervised the practicum for NTHU students titled Community and Rural Medical Practice.
