Earlier this year the Clinical Education team at University Centre South Devon (UCSD) visited Budapest, with the aim to provide students the opportunity to visit a range of clinical settings across Hungarian Health and Social Care. The international trip took place in early March, with planned visits to the Philantrope Foundation (addict rehabilitation centre), Vadaskert Foundation (child psychiatry centre) and the Peto Institute (Children’s Cerebral Palsy Centre). Unfortunately, due to the current situation with COVID- 19, the clinical visits this year were cancelled. Fortunately the Clinical Education Team work with a tour operator who was able to respond to the changing situation at the time and implement alternative visits for the group, alongside the previous arranged visits to Cseppkő Orphanage (Children’s Home), the Holocaust Memorial Centre and The Hospital in the Rock Museum.
The students all returned from Budapest with a greater understanding of the cultural and social differences of Eastern Europe, and with knowledge they will be able to apply to their academic studies.
Claire Langman Clinical Education Manager said, “The aim of our international visits is to broaden the cultural awareness of our students and to immerse them into different clinical environments and experiences to enable them to reflect on the knowledge gained within their own practice and to use the experience to enhance their future employability.”
Over the past couple of years the Clinical Education team have ensured that the visits arranged as part of the International trip have are planned alongside the development of the curricula of the programme to ensure that the trip adds value to both the students’ academic knowledge and future employability. Previously the Clinical Education team have visited Amsterdam, where visits have included a lecture on euthanasia from NVVE society, a visit to a dementia specialist nursing home and a talk from the Prostitution Information Centre.
Information on the range of courses delivered by the Clinical Education team can be found on the UCSD website or by emailing [email protected]