BOA - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Schools Outreach Programme

Description

In this presentation, Ryan Moffat, a trainee from Belfast, discusses the school's engagement program aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion within the field of medicine, specifically trauma and orthopedics. He opens with a warm greeting and expresses gratitude for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the outreach team. Moffat emphasizes the collaborative nature of the initiative, highlighting the importance of audience feedback to further develop their engagement strategies.



He shares statistical insights into the disparities faced by children of doctors and the lack of diversity in medical school applications, pointing out that students from a limited number of secondary schools dominate these applications. Acknowledging the existing efforts for inclusivity in orthopedics, he underscores the need to target early exposure to career options in medicine to increase diversity.



Moffat details various strategies to engage school students, such as leveraging social media for outreach while also recognizing the need for informative, direct interactions. He discusses organizing visits for students to medical congresses, providing them opportunities to meet professionals, learn about the field, and interact with modern technologies. He reflects on positive feedback from past programs and reveals that they are currently working on developing a comprehensive school's toolkit designed to facilitate these connections regionally and nationally.



This toolkit will include when possible hands-on projects and educational resources to encourage students to explore careers in orthopedics. Ultimately, Moffat expresses a commitment to inspiring the next generation in this medical field and creating pathways for students from diverse backgrounds to enter the profession. He concludes by inviting questions from the audience and expresses his eagerness to engage further.

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