University of Ottawa medical students being made aware of problems caused by obesity
Ottawa, December 15, 2009 — The University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine is promoting new aspects of its curriculum as part of the Faculty’s first Obesity Week, which runs until December 17, 2009.
This week offers a special opportunity for second-year medical students to learn more about the challenges and problems related to this important public health issue and some approaches for treating it. Future physicians must be aware of and knowledgeable about obesity and problems caused by obesity. They must also act as spokespersons for obese individuals.
Obesity is not recognized as a chronic medical condition in our society. Patients are often blamed for contributing to their condition. Unfortunately, the health system is also biased against obese patients, and care and treatment for obese individuals are still at an elementary stage.
As future physicians, students must be trained to be advocates for people with this chronic medical condition.
Organized by Dr. Robert Dent, head of the Weight Management Clinic at the Ottawa Hospital, and a team of teaching physicians from the Faculty of Medicine’s Undergraduate Medical Education office, this week’s activities will allow students to participate in a variety of activities, workshops and lectures offered in French and English at the Faculty of Medicine.
Students will meet four patients undergoing treatment and the four doctors treating these patients. Lectures will touch on such topics as the obese gene, and obstetrical and gynaecological problems faced by obese women. In addition, students will break into small groups to create an advertisement campaign. They will present their marketing project on Thursday, December 17, at the awards ceremony, which will take place at 2:30 p.m. in Amphitheatre A at Roger-Guindon Hall (451 Smyth Road, Ottawa).
Agenda
The week of December 14th – 17th represents a unique and important part of the revised curriculum for our 2nd year medical students, which will focus on the subject of obesity. Innovative and interactive teaching methods will be used to deliver the new curriculum for this special week. It is sure to provide insight and shed light on this topic, as guest speakers will be in attendance, and presentations will be made by the students throughout the week. Special recognition and appreciation goes to Dr. Bob Dent and Dr. Heather Lochnan for organizing these activities and events. Highlights include:
| Monday, Dec. 14 | 8:30 – 11:30 | Unit Directed Activity: Introduction to Obesity |
| Tuesday, Dec. 15 | 8:30 – 10:30 | Unit Directed Activity: Treatment of Obesity (Panel discussion) |
| 10:30 – 12:30 | Unit Directed Activity: What Treatment Success Looks Like (TBL) | |
| Wednesday, Dec. 16 | 8:30 – 12:30 | Unit Directed Activity: Reproduction-Related Complications of Obesity |
| Thursday, Dec. 17 | 8:30 – 12:00 | Unit Directed Activity: Childhood Obesity |
| 12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch and Conference | |
| 2:30 – 4:30 | Presentation of Group Project Awards |