11 May 2007

Pupils to get insight into careers in health

Photo opportunity - 10.15 am, Tuesday May 15th,
Seminar Room B, University of Dundee Medical School
(meet main reception Ninewells Hospital)
Dundee United physio and player will be present

Schoolchildren across Tayside will be given an insight into the range of careers available across the health services at a series of events being staged at the University of Dundee this week.

WHAN (Working in Health Access Network) is a Scotland-wide project which aims to raise awareness of health sector careers among school pupils who might not aspire to such careers.

Around 300 third-year pupils are expected to attend this week’s sessions where they will see demonstrations and be given career advice from experts in areas as varied as Biomechanics, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Sports and Exercise, and Nursing and Physiotherapy.

The institutions involved range from traditional health outlets such as the NHS to other bodies including the Territorial Army. For the physiotherapy session, a physio from Dundee United will attend along with one of the club’s currently injured stars, to show the sort of work a physio carries out on a day-to-day basis.

"What we want to show is the vast range of possible careers that exist across the health services and which can be accessed by anyone," said Gordon Black, co-ordinator of WHAN Tayside.

"When people think of the health services they tend to think of doctors and nurses, but there are so many other avenues to working in the sector. Schoolchildren who are considering possible future careers should know that these exist and that they are within their reach."

This week’s events - taking place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - are being staged at the University’s Medical School in Ninewells Hospital.

WHAN (Tayside) is funded by the Scottish Funding Council and Fife and Tayside Wider Access Forum. The partner institutions in WHAN (Tayside) are the University of Dundee, Angus College, Dundee College and the University of Abertay Dundee.

NOTES TO EDITORS

WHAN TAYSIDE is currently working with pupils in the following schools -
Angus
Arbroath Academy
Arbroath High School
Brechin High School
Forfar Academy

Dundee
Baldragon Academy
Braeview Academy
Lawside Academy
Menzieshill High School
St. John’s High School

Perth & Kinross
Blairgowrie High School
Perth Grammar School St. Columba’s High School

Other activities
To encourage pupils to continue with the study of science subjects, SCI-FUN (www.scifun.ed.ac.uk) based in the University of Edinburgh, have been commissioned to deliver hands-on science workshops to S2 pupils in each of the schools (a total of around 2400 pupils).

Visits, talks, hands-on sessions for S3 pupils, raising awareness of careers in the general health sector, including Allied to Health Professions.

Information sessions on careers within the medical, dental and nursing team areas, aimed at S4-S6 pupils, also sessions for returners to education, to be held at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee Dental Education Centre and Angus College.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk