University teams up with theatre company to train future doctors

The University of Sunderland is working with north-east theatre company Operating Theatre to support second-year medical students in their ethics training.

As part of efforts to prepare them for challenging situations in their careers as doctors, the theatre company performed a play following a new mother of a child with Down’s syndrome in which she talks candidly about the birth and the impact it has had on her life.

The performance included ‘hot seating’, giving students the chance to cross question the character in view of all they have heard, helping to widen their knowledge not only of the medical facts involved in the situation but also of the way such a situation affects a life.

Arqam Al-Hadeed, a second-year medical student at the University of Sunderland described it as an “incredibly powerful and thought-provoking experience”.

“The drama, which followed a mother’s journey from receiving a Down’s syndrome diagnosis to making decisions and having her baby, highlighted the real-life complexities of these situations,” he said.

“It forced us to consider the ethical challenges involved and, importantly, how we as future doctors can communicate with empathy and sensitivity when supporting parents through such decisions.

“We are incredibly lucky to be part of a medical school that offers this unique approach to learning, as it allows us to engage with ethical dilemmas in a deeply immersive and impactful way. It truly enhances our understanding of patient care.”

Operating Theatre, which was formed in 2001 to introduce drama into medical training and to engage the wider public in discussions about health and wellbeing, works all over England and Scotland at medical schools, for the NHS, health charities and research organisations.