SERDANG 13 August- Post-pandemic to some extent has created a feeling of fear by students who need to receive vaccination treatment, attend regular appointments and doctor's treatment at the hospital. Therefore, to help reduce the feeling of fear,  a total of 27 1st Year Medical Students of Universiti Putra Malaysia through the Volunteer Development Course  organized the Teddy Bear Hospital program on 13th August 2022.

The program was participated by 38 Year 1 students of SK Serdang and was organized in collaboration with SK Serdang, Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia (IMAM), IMAM Children and Teens Super Teen (IMACATS), Pelangi Publishing Sdn Bhd and Yakult (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. The program aims to reduce anxiety among students, especially within the age of 7 when receiving medical treatment from doctors at the hospital. In addition, this program also reveals to students about health in an interactive way and aims to reduce the ‘ white coat syndrome’.

UPM Medical Students Year 1 QKU 2203II Kump 5 Volunteering Development, Facilitator A'isyah Hishamuddin and the teaching staff of FPSK looked happy taking pictures together at the end of the program

Cheerful medical students pose with group members with their respective Teddy Bear

This 'pretend medical-play' program also gives students the opportunity to 'treat' a 'sick' teddy bear. The students were given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the hospital by going through important stations with their respective teddy bears. The stations involved are Consultation, Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyle, First Aid, Personal Hygiene, Safety (Picture 6) and Pharmacy stations.

Among interesting stations that were held was the Vaccination Station (Picture 5) where students were given exposure on vaccination and its benefits by the Year 1 Medical Students. At the Consultation Station (Pictures 2,3,& 4) students were also given the opportunity to weigh, measure the height and treat their sick teddy bear with the guidance of the UPM Medical Students in present.In addition, this program is also accompanied by a nutritional health talk session by a representative of Yakult (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Yasmin Zainuddin (Picture 11). Every student, volunteer and teacher involved also had the opportunity to enjoy Yakult products for free. All students were given participation prizes sponsored by Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd, Yakult (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Projek Putra Bakti Hope Soap and also donations from the public.

Collaboration Certificate Signing Ceremony between the Center for Co-Curriculum and Student Development, UPM and SK Serdang represented by the Deputy Director of PKPP, UPM Associate Prof. Dr. Siti Suriawati Isa and SK Serdang Headmaster , Mdm. Hajjah Noriza Hamid.

Hopefully this program will benefit all the participants involved especially the 1st Year Medical Students of UPM to interact and gain experience in making the community program a success.

by: Vyshnavi A/P Gunasagaran

Date of Input: 22/08/2022 | Updated: 25/12/2022 | muhamadzulwaqa