Teddy bear doctors help overcome treatment fears

Students at St Cuthbert’s Catholic School at Lindisfarne had the chance to run their teddy bears through their health check-up paces today, when they received a special visit from local medical students, as part of the University of Tasmania’s Teddy Bear Hospital program.

University School of Medicine students acted as ‘teddy doctors’ in what was the school’s first participation in the ever-expanding program.

Prep students were given the opportunity to put their teddies through their paces at different health care stations such as Teddy GP, Teddy surgery, Teddy hand washing, Teddy X-ray, Teddy emergency and Teddy exercise.

The Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH), which started at the University’s School of Medicine in 2013, is a community project aimed at familiarising young children with hospitals and medical treatment.

Third-year medical student Aleksander Wejman said the program, which is expanding into more Tasmanian schools this year, had benefits for all students involved.

“The Teddy Bear Hospital is an extremely valuable program that has potential benefits for both medical students and primary school students,” he said.

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