Film project used to help educate UCL medical students

UCL's Centre for Medical Humanities has launched an innovative new programme to help improve doctor-patient relations.

The project, implemented by Dr Deborah Kirklin, the centre's director, involves the Emmy Award-winning film Wit, which tells the story of a woman dying of ovarian cancer.

The film is being shown to all new medical students as part of their introductory week. A series of group discussions chaired by surgeons and cancer specialists follow the screenings to encourage students to discuss their concerns and raise awareness about caring for those who are dying.

Dr Kirklin said: "By asking these young idealistic students to think about the way illness impacts on all those affected by serious illness - those who are ill, the people who love them and the professionals caring for them - we hope to shape the way the next generation of doctors think about their role."

The film, starring Emma Thompson and directed by Mike Nichols has already been used successfully in medical schools across North America, and Dr Kirklin feels sure its success can be repeated here: "This is an extremely innovative approach to medical education and particularly interesting because it is compulsory teaching for those students right at the beginning of their course."

To find out more about the Wit project use the link below.

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Links:
Wit Film Project