Year 12 Health and Social Care students received a firsthand look into the reality of healthcare careers this week when three former students, Emily, Tara and Lola, returned to DSFC to share their experiences. Now in the final year of their respective healthcare degree programmes, the returning alumni delivered an engaging panel session focused on interprofessional practice, placement realities, and the profound impact of patient care.
Collaborative Care in Action
To show how different clinical roles intersect in real time, the visitors walked Year 12s through a patient scenario. The example demonstrated how allied health professions collaborate to treat cases – from initial assessment through to ongoing rehabilitation.
Highlighting Real-World Impact
The panel brought their studies to life with powerful anecdotes from their practical placements, highlighting both the quiet dignity and high-stakes drama of their professions:
- Palliative care: supporting a patient at the end of life to ensure comfort, respect and personal dignity.
- Rehabilitation & therapy: using creative techniques, including getting a group of older men with Parkinson’s disease to shout funny rhymes.
- Emergency care: participating in critical interventions, including helping to save the life of a two-day-old infant.
The Ultimate Reward
While clinical environments bring unique challenges, all three speakers agreed that the most fulfilling aspect of their training is the human connection – the best part of the job being helping people and seeing the positive changes that their input had made to people’s lives.
The session left Year 12 students with valuable insight into university expectations, placement dynamics and plenty of inspiration to pursue a rewarding career in healthcare.