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How to Complete the Enrichment Activities
The Business of Healthcare rotation lasts approximately three weeks. In addition to the three weeks of work in the rotation, you will have three days to work on enrichment activities. Enrichment is designed to be flexible. The activities should focus on topics that relate to this rotation, but you should choose or design projects that you find interesting. You may decide to complete one in depth activity that takes three days to complete, or you may want to complete three activities that each take one day to complete.
Early in the rotation you should review the list of possible projects and decide where you would like to start. You can get an idea of all the activities you want to work on in the rotation, but remember enrichment is flexible. As your work in the main story line progresses, you may come across a topic that interests you. Feel free to pursue new ideas and projects, just be sure to work with your mentor and manage your time. As the rotation progresses, meet with your mentor periodically to review your progress on enrichment.
Remember enrichment is your opportunity to investigate topics that interest you. It’s also a chance to be creative! You have a chance to break away from paper writing for a while. Though you can still write papers if you want to, you could also write songs, shoot videos, build websites, create posters and flyers – anything you can think of! So take some time to get out of your classroom, learn about things going on in the world around you and have fun!
Plan your Enrichment Activities
- Review the list of enrichment activities. Make a list of the activities that you might like to work on independently during the Business of Healthcare rotation.
- Come up with your own ideas. If you have other ideas for activities you would like to pursue that relate to the topic of medical investigation, add them to the list.
- Prioritize and narrow your choices. You have a total of three days to complete your enrichment activities. Think about which topics or activities are most appealing to you. Then consider how you would like to investigate those topics.
- Create a plan for completing at least one enrichment activity. Your plan should include what you want to do and how you will do it. Use the Enrichment Activity Plan Template to help you think through the details of each enrichment activity. Refer to the example provided for ideas on how your plan might work. Then finalize your plan for each enrichment activity.
Get Approval for Enrichment Activities
- Meet with your mentor and review your plans for each of the enrichment activities you want to pursue during this rotation. Together, brainstorm additional ways you might approach the activities. Discuss the best way to fit the activities into the rotation schedule.
- Note any feedback your mentor provides during your discussion and revise your Enrichment Activity Plan.
Conduct your Enrichment Activity
- Implement your Enrichment Activity Plan based on the schedule you and your mentor agreed to. Work on your project deliverables as you go.
- Check in with your mentor according to the schedule you both agreed on when your mentor approved your enrichment plan. During these meetings review progress on your deliverables and schedule.
- Submit final deliverables as directed by your mentor.
Enrichment Resources
Enrichment Activity Plan - Template
Enrichment Activity Plan - Sample
Suggested Enrichment Actvities
Topic |
Description of Enrichment Activity |
Approximate Duration |
Sicko |
Write a review of the 2007 documentary by Michael Moore entitled, Sicko. In your review, be sure to address the following:
- What are the major issues?
- What are the compelling arguments?
- Are there any weaknesses in Moore’s argument?
- How do you look at this with a critical eye?
- How might you go about researching or verifying what you saw?
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1 day |
Solving the Healthcare Crisis |
There is a great debate in the United States about healthcare and whether or not it is a commodity or a right. In other words, is healthcare a product that people have to by or do they just have the right to healthcare. People who believe healthcare is a right have suggested that the US transition to a Nationalized Health Care system where everyone is guaranteed health care by the government.
Gather information about a possible Nationalized Health Care system. As part of your information gathering you might:
- Do internet research
- Interview Medical Professionals
- Interview insured and uninsured adults
- Research the countries that have nationalized healthcare systems
Create an argument either for or against nationalized healthcare. As part of your argument be sure you anticipate and account for what the other side might say. Find a way to share what you have learned with your peers. You could:
- Create a newsletter
- Create a website
- Create a flyer or brochure
- Film a public service announcement
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2 days |
Investments Come to Life |
Are you interested in Alzheimer’s and how patients are cared for? Or what a CyberKnife really looks like and what it can do? Are there questions you have about the investment options you are looking at in this rotation that you want to answer?
Arrange to visit:
- Alzheimer’s Unit
- Dialysis Center
- A facility with a CyberKnife, if there is one in your area.
Take a tour of the facility and see how it works. Talk with employees, physicians and patients. Take notes and be prepared to present what you discovered to your mentor and other students in your cohort.
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1 day |
Healthcare in the White House |
Healthcare, at the time of the writing of this rotation, was a major issue in the 2008 presidential campaign in the United States. Knowing what you now know about healthcare, decide which candidate you’d choose based on their approach to the healthcare issue.
Research the healthcare plans of the major candidates involved in the election and decide which one you like best. Then write a letter to one of his/her opponents about why their plan isn’t as good as your chosen candidate's and what about your candidate’s plan you liked better.
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1 day |
Advertising Drugs |
Many people are critical of advertising done by pharmaceutical companies. For example, take a look at this article.
Look for pharmaceutical ads on TV (check out You Tube for TV commercials on products like Zoloft and Lunesta) or in magazines. What do you see? How are companies selling their products in these ads? What do you consider responsible about the way these products are being advertised? What is irresponsible?
Conduct your own research to see if pharmaceutical ads are effective. Do the ads work? Do people know the products because of the advertisement? How likely are they to ask their doctor about these products? You could gather your information by conducting internet research, interviewing people or creating a survey.
CyberKnife is also advertising their product directly to consumers. What are the pros and cons of that kind of advertising? What have you learned by looking at pharmaceutical ads that you could use to advise CyberKnife in their advertising efforts? Based on your research what makes an ad effective?
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2 days |
On Loan |
Interview the loan manager at a bank – talk to him about personal and business loans. What is the bank looking for when they lend money to a person or business? Create a brochure or website for potential customers detailing what they need to know about getting a loan.
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2 days |
Design Your Own |
Come up with your own idea(s) for an enrichment activity related to some aspect of this rotation. Write a brief description of your idea and submit it to your mentor for consideration.
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TBD |
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