Presenter:
Karen Firus
Authors:
Karen Firus, Cathy Kline
Poster Abstract:
At the 2024 UBC Health Mentors symposium, students in medicine, nursing and occupational therapy and their health mentor, Karen Firus, presented a vibrant 4’ x 8’ interactive poster, “A BRIEF on INVISIBLE illness…there’s more UNDERNEATH”.
The board is an innovative, uplifting interactive learning tool – large black and white graphics reveal 24 colourful cut-out illustrations of underwear (BRIEFS) featuring in-depth learnings and collaboration of the students and mentor during 9 months of learning together.
Participants will learn about creative brainstorming; the right brain being used to complement left brain learning. Students are taught to think outside the box and more easily retain and enjoy what they’ve learned from engaging in a creative approach with a patient mentor. It is an effective way to prepare students to work in partnership with patients living with complex and poorly understood chronic conditions to find health solutions when little information and knowledge exists about an illness.
Participants will learn how to invoke energy and passion within students and that creativity reinforces the collaborative nature of interprofessional learning.
Creative activities are rare in health education and need to be considered because of the success of the BRIEF board at the symposium. The format works not just for the students creating the board, but for the 200 other students and faculty interacting with the board.
Participants will be able to interact with the original BRIEF board and Karen, an engaging, energetic and passionate speaker and recipient of the 2023 Kerston Community Educator Award.
Key Words: Patient engagement, interprofessional education, chronic disease management
