TurningPoint Integrated into Community Outreach Program

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science's 2008 Mini-Medical School Uses TurningPoint Audience Response Systems

The 2008 Mini-Medical School is designed to help community members learn how to keep themselves and their families healthy during these one hour lectures exploring common health concerns. Topics include stroke, diabetes, DNA, child brain development, arthritis, adult stem cell research, exercise for Baby Boomers and heart-healthy nutrition. Speakers are faculty members from the Chicago Medical School, College of Health Professions and Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine - all colleges of Rosalind Franklin University.

Although integrated into thousands of universities and colleges across the country, this is the first community event associated with a medical teaching facility that Turning's response technology has been used in. Using its flagship software TurningPoint®, in conjunction with ResponseCard® keypads creates a wireless audience response and voting system that enables presenters to engage their audience as well as develop and administer real-time assessments of participants from within Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentations.

Turning Technologies' Vice President of Educational Sales Brad Gant said, "We are honored to have the opportunity to provide in-kind support of the 2008 Mini-Medical School. Community outreach programs are truly at the heart of Turning's mission of improving education through interactive technology that personalizes the learning experience. Rosalind Franklin University is renowned for its educational programs and medical science research, and we believe that these sessions will have a strong, positive impact on the greater Chicago area. Our response technology will be incorporated into the program to allow presenters to engage audiences and improve learning outcomes."

All sessions will feature Turning Technologies' response systems for pre and post audience analysis. Presenters will establish a baseline of knowledge by asking participants interactive questions prior to lectures. Results are immediately displayed for the audience and recorded for the presenter. After the session has ended, audiences will be asked a set of assessment questions to determine comprehension of topics and gain feedback on the series.

"Before the availability of this technology, a speaker would have to ask for a show of hands," explained Dr. Charles Barsano, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Program Director of the Mini-Medical School. "Surveying an audience by a show of hands, however, would not be as reliable since many people feel inhibited about identifying themselves as suffering from any kind of disorder. Similarly, speakers feel inhibited about asking for public acknowledgement of rather confidential medical information. Turning Technologies' system conveniently lends credibility to the responses while preserving confidentiality and makes the information instantly available to the audience."

Rosalind Franklin University is a national leader in interprofessional and medical health care education. The university was founded in 1912 as the Chicago Medical School and continued to expand its programs and colleges until it became the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in 2004 in honor of Dr. Rosalind Franklin, the famous British physician whose work uncovered the structure of DNA. The university now houses over 1700 students and boasts more than 16,000 alumni. It is also home to the most recognized and distinguished podiatric institution, the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine.

The Mini-Medical School began in 2005, offering sessions that were relevant and timely. Prior to the first program, a questionnaire listing around 50 different health issues was distributed to the community to determine which were of the most interest. The issues became an instrument to help guide the direction of the Mini-Medical school. Today, the program is a staple of the university's dedication to community service. The Lake County Health Department became involved this year in order to address some of the issues listed on the Leading Health Indicators, a set of 10 high-priority public health issues established by the U.S. Department of Human and Health Services. Committed to improving the lives of their neighbors, service learning is now a required component for students at the university.

Running every Tuesday in October from 7 - 9 p.m., the Mini-Medical School will be held on the campus of Rosalind Franklin University and is free and open to the public. The series is directed by the Office of Clinical Affairs of the Chicago Medical School and is now co-sponsored by the Lake County Health Department.

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Rosalind Franklin University recently received approval for its new doctoral program in Interprofessional Health Care Studies - the first in Illinois - and has launched a new master in science program in Psychology Clinical Counseling in fall 2008.

There are more than 16,000 RFUMS graduates in the United States and worldwide.

Visit www.rosalindfranklin.edu

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