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These volunteers are no ‘dummies’ but helping train our future workforce of doctors

The Illawarra is playing a significant role in addressing Australia’s ongoing shortage of doctors.

On the eve of National Volunteer Week (May 20-26), what better time to share the remarkable story of how a group of passionate locals give up a few hours a month to help train our next generation of GPs and medical practitioners by putting them through their paces.

Since 2007, the program has enlisted the support of dedicated local volunteers, who effectively play the role of ‘dummy patients’. The UOW Graduate School of Medicine (GSM) has very kindly given this volunteer cohort the much more palatable title of ‘Simulated Patients’ (SPs).

“The Simulated Patients Program represents one of the most unique volunteering experiences in the region,” says volunteer coordinator Shawn Tyler.

“Our volunteers contribute to the education of our doctors and as a result they’re improving the quality of the local area’s health service and the quality of care for patients in the Illawarra.” 

Volunteers from all walks of life

The recruitment of new volunteers is a big part of Shawn’s role and there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach. The volunteers come from all walks of life and each brings a different life experience, be they retirees, workers, unemployed or students. Right now, the SP program boasts nearly 300 volunteers from right across the Illawarra, including the Shoalhaven, where future doctors are also in training as part of the GSM program.

But as Shawn constantly reminds his volunteers, more are always needed. He’ll be with the GSM team at a stall on Wednesday, May 22 at the Wollongong City Council Volunteer Expo as part of the ongoing recruitment exercise during Volunteers Week.

“One of the key learning activities for our medical students is the interaction between the students and real people,” Shawn said. “This ensures our students learn and continually practise appropriate communications with real people, make diagnoses, and have immediate access to feedback.” 

Heather Gibson, from Lake Heights, has been volunteering with the SP program for nearly a decade.

“I’ve always had an interest in anything medical,” Heather said. “I love to see the students progressing over the years and see their skills and confidence grow over time and it’s important for people who’re thinking of joining the volunteers to know that it’s all very relaxed and you don’t need to have any previous experience.”

Role-playing patients 

Typically, the SPs are given a scenario and loose script in which they ‘role play’ a patient, and over a couple of hours spend time with medical students in what feels very much like a real-life consultation and in a surgery setting.

“It helps to keep my brain active learning the differerent scripts for the role that I’m playing,” Heather said. “The students are so appreciative about how we’re making the scenarios so realistic.”

Retired English/history teacher Eric Alexander, from Thirroul, signed on as a volunteer eight years ago “because I just love the thought of helping students to learn".

"Another great interest of mine is theatre and I’m attracted to the idea of playing characters and learning scripts,"  Eric said. 

"It’s a beautifully run program; it is so efficient, and we are all well looked after."

The results speak for themselves with the UOW GSM students now highly sought-after in practices and hospitals across the nation.

“Apparently the students coming out of this program are recognised as amongst the best clinically trained in the country,” Eric said. 

A great sense of pride

The volunteers demonstrate a great sense of pride in what they’re helping to achieve.

“Since hearing about the program I’ve prioritised being a part of it,” said one of the newest volunteer recruits, Channah Gillman, from Wollongong. “I’m quite passionate about this. I’m in a very fortunate situation being able to juggle my personal and professional life, children, and everything else.

“When I heard about this program, I thought yes, let’s help teach these people how to do their job well and remind them that they are dealing with people,” Channah said.

Bringing a unique perspective

Dr Alison Tomlin, a tutor in the GSM program, is full of praise for the team of volunteers.

“Each SP has their own unique perspective on what kind of doctor they want to see,” Alison said.

“This program is a special part of the whole course, where students get to practise different things, including breaking bad news to patients and how they’re going to respond to those difficult situations.

“Our students are learning to become better professionals by talking with our SPs and testing the practical skills they learn in other parts of the course.”

One of the first year medical students, Jess Clark, from south-west Sydney, is a qualified lawyer but decided to make a big career shift to study medicine in Wollongong.

“I love helping people and I’m passionate about children and their wellbeing and so I started looking at a new career in paediatrics,” Jess said.

Full of praise for the volunteers

With her fellow student doctors, Jess is full of praise for the support they receive from the volunteers.

“We get hands-on experience with real people, and I love the variety of SPs involved in the program, from the young to the elderly,” Jess said.

Her comments are echoed by Kade Foreman, from Young in central western NSW. “The Simulated Patient program makes our learning more real. It’s all good being in the classroom but this is about real-life situations.”

There’s clearly a huge amount of mutual admiration between the students and their Simulated Patients, who over the course of a year bring every possible ailment, sickness and injury into the medical school for assessment and diagnosis.

 The feedback is fantastic

“The SPs make you feel really comfortable; they’re encouraging, and the feedback is fantastic,” says Faith Howland, another first year student, from Mansfield in Victoria.

Ultimately, the GSM students end up as interns in the real world and that’s where some of the interactions between the volunteers and the students are so special.

“We’ve heard numerous stories where our volunteers have found themselves needing care in our local hospitals,” Shawn Tyler said. “The amazing and joyful aspect of what they do and bring, is when they themselves are cared for by the very doctors they’ve helped train.”

Volunteer Leanne Robinson, from Jamberoo, recalls such an experience recently when her regular GP wasn’t working on the day of her appointment and another doctor filled the gap. 

“He looked at me and asked if we’d met before, and I said ‘yes at the uni’. I had been an SP for two of his examination rounds. I recalled him clearly as being one of the few students who consistently scored an ‘excellent’ from myself as well as the observing physician.

"It was wonderful seeing him as a successful physician in general practice,” Leanne added.

Loving the variety

It’s a serious business training to be a doctor but volunteer Wendy Dowling from Fairy Meadow, enjoys her role because of the variety of interactions.

“I like the way the medical students act very professionally when meeting us and we all play the roles we’re given. But when the session is finished, I love the sigh of relief on their faces and the laugh and chat we have afterwards about what they thought they did right or wrong.”

As a proud volunteer for the GSM’s Simulated Patients Program, I can’t recommend becoming involved highly enough. For me, like so many other volunteers, it’s about giving something meaningful back to the community. 

You can find out more by dropping into the Volunteer Expo at Wollongong Town Hall on Wednesday, 22 May or by dropping Shawn Tyler an email on styler@uow.edu.au

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