A project aimed at engaging students’ interest in clini­cal biochemistry and chemical pathology used video clips, props and poetry to animate a number of innovative information sessions. These help­ed participants look with keener interest at certain related medical and scientific phenomena.

Video excerpts were taken from Mr Bean to demonstrate lab safety principles; a selection from Wit led to a subsequent discussion about an ovarian cancer marker test; and a short clip from The Big Bang Theory introduced the use of insulin pumps.

Other movie clips were used to illustrate clinical biochemistry testing for diabetes and other diseases. These included the documentary Be Well Informed about Carcinoid, National Geographic’s Science of Obesity documentary, a carbon monoxide-related short clip from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Lorenzo’s Oil and Extraordinary Measures on Pompe’s disease.

The sessions also made use of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, the Mona Lisa portrait and vampire stories to explain various points related to particular diseases and scientific principles; balloons were used to represent different forms of cholesterol; food samples and pictures were shown; and toy mice were employed to explain a gene­tics-based obesity model that won a Nobel prize.

Medical students attending the biochemistry weekend.

The sessions succeeded to raise greater awareness and interest in the subject, as confirmed in positive feedback obtained through questionnaires. Although clinical bio­chemistry and chemical pathology are somewhat considered a ‘Cinderella specialty’ of the medical profession, they have great impact and ramifications throughout the whole medical field. Most medical sub-specialities tend to require some sort of biochemical blood investigation at some point or another.

The sessions were delivered last year by Dr Michelle Muscat to students and pupils at various State, Church and independent schools with the cooperation of the Education Department, the Secretariat for Catholic Education and the independent schools’ administrations.

A clinical biochemistry weekend for medical students was also held at a hotel in Sliema, which also followed a non-traditional mode of delivery, although they were much more detailed compared to the sessions aimed at younger audiences.

The participating schools in­cluded St Joseph School, Blata l-Bajda, St Michael’s School, Santa Venera, and schools forming part of St Margaret College, Żabbar, St Clara College, Sliema, San Ġorġ Preca College, Ħamrun and Marsa, St Thomas More College, Marsa­scala, and St Ignatius College, Luqa.

The project is being funded through the Endeavour Scheme as from the current academic year.