The provincial OMCeO headquarters welcomed students from the high schools of Caltanissetta (Classical and Scientific) where the “Biology with biomedical curvature” orientation courses were started. During the meeting, which took place inside the conference room, the students present were able to learn more about the reality of the Order of Surgeons and Dentists.
“We want, as is foreseen in the project, to illustrate to the young people what the Medical Order is for, because many young people clearly have no idea what the Order is – explained the OMCeO councilor from Nisse Roberto Leone as well as the coordinator of the project in the two Nisseni high schools – it is a sine qua non to register with the Order to be able to be a doctor, therefore it is a fundamental stage for the doctor who graduates and obtains the qualification (by now we have a qualifying degree ) and then he must register with the Medical Association to be able to carry out his activity, a Medical Association which has an important function of control, supervision of doctors, intervention if there are conflicts between doctors or between doctors and patients, in the same time – he added – the doctor must therefore swear that he will respect the rules imparted by the code of ethics because clearly the doctor must always have conduct that is up to the standard of his profession, which let us remember deals with the health problem of citizens, therefore a profession certainly from a very important social point of view.”
There are numerous boys and girls who have chosen to join the strengthening-orientation path of “Biology with biomedical curvature” started in the town of Nissena six years ago within the Liceo Scientifico “A. Volta” and five at the Liceo Classico “Ruggero Settimo”. But these are not the only realities in the provincial territory, in fact it is an opportunity also present in Gela in the “Eschilo” Classical High School and in the “E. Vittorini”, in Mazzarino and Riesi in the “CM Carafa” Higher Secondary Education Institute and in the “Virgilio” Classical High School in Mussomeli.
“A journey of great intensity – said the Headmistress of the High School “R. Seventh” Irene Cinzia Maria Collerone – who saw new learning models experimented also through the use of testing platforms and a sort of preparation for what could be the future of our children who also choose to be able to take admission tests at the University with some success. Let’s say that in order to activate this path it was essential to have the consent and therefore sign a protocol with the Order of Doctors and Dentists, identify a scientific committee within the school and actively collaborate, the contact teacher who for the classical high school is Professor Presti, with the representative of the Order of Doctors and Dentists, Doctor Leone, and then from time to time create agreements that would allow us to have the students experience laboratory activities both within the hospital, therefore with the Asp, both in local laboratories – he concluded – which allowed our students access to these experiences”.
The first Nisseno institute to have started this process six years ago was the Liceo Scientifico “A. Volta” as told by the teacher and representative of the school Giusy Lima, who, taking stock, explained: “it was not easy to organize the meetings that usually took place with the doctors appointed by the Medical Association, in the sense that two worlds met, that of the school which is a complex system and that of the doctors, who are also very professionally busy therefore, but despite everything we managed to involve the kids, to let them experiment with different learning techniques and above all to get them oriented. It was also not easy to follow this massive dose of hours because the kids had to support 50 hours a year, therefore 150 hours in total, every year 20 hours given, let’s say, by the teachers of the Institute, 20 by medical professionals and 10 in the field – he then underlined – these same kids also experienced the laboratory environments of the area and the environment of the Sant’Elia hospitals, the Raimondi hospital of San Cataldo and so on and therefore – he added – although it was a good experience, it was truly tiring”. You defined it as a positive experience also from an orientation point of view. “About 50% of students drop out at the end of the cycle, why? – continued the teacher Lima – Because they discover, along the way, that medicine is actually not their path, the remaining 50% instead become even more passionate and specialize their skills in the medical-health field”.
Another aspect also appreciated by students is the human one, the possibility of knowing what lies behind the profession and the passion that drives the doctor to work every day.
The kids also experienced the pandemic period having to deal with distance learning, masks and more.
“The beginning was a bit traumatic – declared Marina Presti, coordinator of the course with biomedical curvature of the “Ruggero Settimo” Classical High School – due to what we experienced in the Covid period, so we had little opportunity to then enter the field of medicine, then now for two years we have been able to do not only the lessons with the doctors, who bring their experience to the kids, but also the various internships done in the laboratories and above all in the hospital”.
The President of the OMCeO of Caltanissetta Giovanni D’Ippolito was also present at the meeting on Thursday 30 May 2024 and thanked all the teachers, the representatives of both the schools and the Order and the doctors involved in the project for their availability and the great commitment shown towards the initiative. The doctors who have met the children of the schools involved over the years are doctors Carmelo Venti, Giuseppe Petrantoni, Massimo Siracusa, Cristina Raimondi, Michele Rizzo, Angelo Barbera, Gian Bruno Lo Porto, Salvatore Camilleri, Giuseppe Di Benedetto, Carmela Ricotta, Liboria Scarlata , Giuseppe Giannone, Arianna Giunta, Edoardo Cumbo, Giuseppe Di Raimondo and Antonella Ballacchino.
“We are happy with the results achieved so far in the schools of Nisseno – stated the President of the provincial OMCeO Giovanni D’Ippolito – we have met many young people in recent years and we have given them the opportunity to better understand the world of medicine, to direct all those boys and girls who think of undertaking this profession in their future towards a more conscious choice. I therefore thank all my colleagues who believed in this project and who have been an active part in recent years in the creation of these strengthening and orientation paths”.
