Practicing IV insertion with my Human Health and Disease class
The month of March was a whirlwind of traveling for me, part of which was made up by the Long Study Tour, in which DIS students all travel with their core course to other parts of Europe in order to expand their intercultural experiences and supplement the core course material. This was just one of the many experiences that DIS organized for us to have hands-on learning.
One thing that I did not think about much when choosing DIS, but which I am really impressed with, is how many experiential learning activities are incorporated into the semester. The Short Study Tour earlier this semester was filled with visits with practicing physicians and other professionals in the medical field in Denmark, each of who gave us unique insight into their professions and the advantages and disadvantages of Denmark’s welfare system.
On the Long Study Tour, my class went to Berlin, Germany for a week. We learned about the different welfare system there, met with physicians, and had various cultural activities such as a food tour, a bike tour of the city’s history, and museum visits. We had an ongoing project which involved talking to locals in both Denmark and Germany about their thoughts on their country’s healthcare system, and comparisons between the two countries. It was overall a great balance of getting to know the city and Germany’s history as well as healthcare in the country, which further allows us to understand Denmark and the United States’ healthcare systems.
Talking with a cardiologist at a hospital in central Denmark.
The Berlin wall
Food tour in Berlin
Practicing CPR, overseen by a medical student
Beyond just the study tours, Wednesdays are set aside in DIS students’ schedules in order to go on Field Studies. Recently, my Human Health and Disease class went to a nearby hospital where medical students are trained and learned how to do various basic medical procedures such as IV insertion, catheter insertion, and sutures. Just last week I went on a trip to Herlev Hospital in which my health class put into practice what we have learned about diagnosing patients and performing CPR. We used medical anatomical models and were taught by current medical students.
All of these trips and activities combine to result in a significant amount of our learning being done outside of the classroom. And, not only is a large percentage of our learning hands-on, but what we learn is so much more memorable due to the fact that is it linked to engaging activities and cultural experiences.