Building bridges through medical education
The two-day intensive OxPal project programme focused on developing core clinical communication skills through interactive learning methods. Palestinian medical students participated in role-play exercises with simulated patients and engaged with consultation scenarios from the Virtual Primary Care platform, a resource developed by the Medical Schools Council.
Cross-Cultural Learning in Practice
The programme facilitated meaningful discussions around several key themes:
- Cross-cultural differences in medical practice
- Defining excellence in medical care
- Understanding patient expectations and needs
- Working effectively across diverse healthcare systems
According to the teaching team, a particularly striking finding was the shared commitment to patient care that transcended cultural boundaries. The programme coordinators noted they discovered shared themes of a deep sense of care and humanity for our patients in their conversations throughout the programme.
Participants of the OxPal project engaging in cross-cultural discussions
Cultural Exchange and Community
The programme concluded with participants learning the traditional Palestinian dance called Dabkeh, recognised by UNESCO as part of Palestine's intangible cultural heritage. While the teaching team humorously acknowledged this as 'definitely an area for further work,' the cultural exchange element highlights the programme's holistic approach to international collaboration.
Programme Leadership
The initiative was led by Ruth Wilson and Suzanne Stewart from Oxford's Clinical Communication Skills teaching team, demonstrating the university's ongoing commitment to innovative medical education partnerships.
About OxPal
The OxPal project represents Oxford's dedication to supporting medical education in challenging circumstances and fostering international collaboration in healthcare training. The programme provides Palestinian medical students with access to world-class medical education resources and teaching methodologies while creating valuable learning opportunities for Oxford's own educational community.
For more information about the OxPal project, visit oxpal.org or contact ruth.wilson@phc.ox.ac.uk