Students give back to the community through the Schulich Medicine Windsor Health Lecture Series

The Schulich Medicine Windsor Health Lecture Series (SWHLS) was created out of a desire to give back to a community that has done so much for the students who make Windsor their home throughout their undergraduate medical education journey. In the two years since its founding, it has become an established and recognized program providing valuable information to community members about health care and the latest medical research.

Students in the Windsor Program continue to be amazed at the support and thoughtfulness of regular community members as well as patients and hospital staff. "It's not uncommon for us to receive support from the community when we undertake daily activities such as picking up dry cleaning or buying a coffee. This in addition to the sympathetic way we are received by accommodating patients, understanding nursing staff and hospital personnel every day during our training," said Danica Brister, MD Candidate, Class of 2016 and SWHLS executive member.

The students believe the lecture series is a way they can give back to all of those people. "Given our stage in our education, it's difficult to live up to the support we receive beyond attending classes and fulfilling our curriculum, leaving many of us with a desire to earn our place in the community," said Brister.

The series helps them to do that. It offers free, monthly health-oriented informal presentations by faculty physicians, allied health professionals and medical students. The presentations are actually coordinated to parallel the School's curriculum schedule, allowing additional medical students to get involved in answering questions from attendees.

Through the series the students can bring knowledge directly from experts in both health care and research to the public in a relevant and information fashion as well as promote resources to patients. Presentations cover a range of topics from traumatic brain injuries, teen health, immunizations and vaccines and type 2 Diabetes.

The students have gained great experience through the series as they are able to interact with the community at large, grow to understand the fears and anxieties people have as they manage health concerns, gain insight into the motivations of others in making health care decisions, and gain new skills. "Education is a powerful weapon against illness, and we are pleased to be able to give back to the Windsor community in such an important way."