It takes a team of professionals to manage the healthcare of a person. From doctors through to occupational therapists, nutritionists and dietitians, exercise scientists and physiotherapists, the world of healthcare isn’t confined to a doctor’s surgery or a hospital.
Bond’s Health Experience Day is an opportunity for high school students to experience what it’s like to manage the care of a real patient from start to finish. Working with health professionals, they will consult with mock patients from the perspectives of clinical doctors, physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, biomedical and exercise scientists and other allied health professionals.
In year 12, Sian Fennell knew she wanted to work in health sciences, but she wasn’t sure which path she wanted to take. A Guidance Counsellor recommended she attend Health Experience Day to get an insight into the different options available.
“I was becoming unsure of what I wanted to do,” says Sian.
“Doing the practical aspects of the Health Experience Day, where you are interacting with actors portraying patients with real-life problems, confirmed for me the career path that I wanted to go into.”
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What to expect
The day starts with a morning tea in the Heath Sciences and Medicine Building, with students getting to know each other and gaining an understanding of the different types of health practitioners.
The highlight of the day, Sian says, was getting hands-on experience in a range of disciplines.
“The Health Experience Day included a section in which students got to interact with actors representing patients that suffered from real life situations,” she explains.
“On the day there are a number of patients with different conditions.
“Teams had to talk to the patient and first decide what kind of medical professionals would typically handle that situation or type of patient. The teams would then enter a different room where they would watch a series of short clips from real Bond health professionals demonstrating what that particular health professional does in their jobs.
“Teams would deliberate on the most effective treatment plan for the patient whether that be at home care, or in the hospital before re-entering the patient’s room to discuss the treatment plan with them. Once the final treatment plan had been decided, teams would finally pitch their idea to a panel of health professions, answering any questions asked about the topic.”
The hands-on day requires students to use a range of skills, including critical thinking, communication, problem-solving and adaptability.
What you'll learn
Sian says everyone will get something out of the day, even if you haven’t considered a career in health sciences.
“There were other people at my Experience Day that had no idea what degree they were going to study at university,” she says.
“The day simply just gave them more information so they could decide if a degree in health sciences would be a good fit for them.”
There were three key things that Sian took away from the day: the differences between the numerous health professionals, to always value the patient’s input in treatment plans, and that health science is a broader field than she could have imagined.
“There are so many pathways and options for the future” she says.
“People just have to be willing to seize the opportunity.”
Health Experience Day
Discover how you can take part in one of Bond's Health Experience Days for 2021.