The interactive event was led by five medical students from the Plymouth Peninsula Medical School, organised by William Rowland as part of their Doctors as Educators (DAE) project. After being thoroughly impressed by the engagement of our current Year 10s during a similar visit last year, the team was eager to return and share this brilliant experience with our Year 9s.

The core of the workshop was the "Medical Rush" game, which proved to be a massive hit. Working in teams, students were challenged to diagnose and treat as many patients as possible within a high-pressure, 10-minute window. To simulate the real-life environment of a busy A&E department, teams were assigned specific medical roles and career specialisms, managing patient cards with various conditions and carefully matching them to the correct treatments.

Just like in a real hospital, curveballs were thrown their way in the form of “danger crisis” cards, introducing unexpected emergencies. Teams had to communicate rapidly to decide whether to safely discharge patients for points or admit them to a ward with strictly limited capacity.

There was much excitement as students fully immersed themselves in their medical roles:

"It's great doing medical games in school. It gives us a real understanding of so many different roles in healthcare." — Ollie, Year 9

"It was so interesting looking at and analysing the different types of treatments you can give patients." — Grace, Year 9

Ava reflected on the leadership and communication skills required in healthcare: 

"Oh my, the stress of trying to help so many people! I really loved the game and looking at all the health conditions, but trying to help when other team members aren't listening to your treatment plan is a hard part of the job!"

Even those who don't typically enjoy games found themselves completely gripped by the challenge. Beatrice added:

"I normally do not like games, but this one was such fun! It really got me thinking about other people and what they need to get better. I had a great afternoon."

To wrap up the session, students had a fantastic opportunity to grill the visiting medical students during a Q&A session, asking about their real-world work placements and what university life is really like.

Reflecting on the day, Mrs. Chalmers was incredibly proud of how the students conducted themselves:

"The afternoon was a resounding success, beautifully showcasing Year 9’s teamwork and potential future careers in healthcare. They handled the fast-paced, A&E-like environment brilliantly."

A huge thank you to the Plymouth Peninsula Medical School team for inspiring our students and delivering such a memorable afternoon!