Integrating Health and Education: A Medical Student’s Teaching Experience in a Government School

This article outlines my experience as a part-time teacher in a government school through the NGO Teach For Change, alongside my medical education. The initiative aimed to promote social responsibility through education, with focus on health and hygiene. Key activities included organising extracurricular activities, health and hygiene education sessions, facilitating a health camp which was subsequently documented and published as a cross-sectional study, inspection of school environment and promoting home grown food. These efforts helped children learn about health in practical ways and encouraged healthy habits. Challenges included balancing intense medical training with teaching responsibilities, establishing rapport with the students, integrating health education into their existing academic curriculum. Despite the hurdles, it taught me valuable skills like time management, task prioritisation, communication, leadership and addressing real life difficulties in preventive medicine. In conclusion, such experiences benefit both the community and the individual. Integrating Heath education into school curriculum is crucial and encouraging medical students to engage in similar initiatives can foster social accountability, empathy, communication skills and reinforce the value of preventive care in medical practice.