SGH Orthopaedic Surgery Community Outreach Programme

The Duke-NUS volunteers with Prof. Tan Mann Hong (SGH Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Head) and Dr. Goh Seo Kiat (Consultant, SGH Orthopaedic Surgery)

On Saturday, November 9, 2013, ten Duke-NUS medical students joined the SGH Department of Orthopaedic Surgery for their annual bone health screening at the 103-year-old Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital (KWSH). A joint effort between medical students, residents, consultants, administrators, nurses, allied health professionals, and researchers, the bone health screening was aimed at preventing and managing osteoporosis in the aging population.

Patients at the bone health screening had their height and weight measured before filling in a survey about medical history and their current lifestyle. After having a bone mineral density scan, a fall risk assessment tool score (FRAX) was calculated to predict for 10-year risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture. Patients were then seen by volunteer orthopaedic surgeons for consultation and advice on vitamin supplementation, lifestyle changes, and fall prevention. Duke-NUS students were especially helpful in translating for patients, helping them fill out their forms, calculating FRAX scores, and assisting with consultations.

Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital (KWSH) is a 103-year-old charitable hospital aimed at providing quality healthcare to sick and needy in Singapore since 1910. For more about KWSH, please visit http://www.kwsh.org.sg/

The Orthopaedic Surgery Student Interest Group (The Orthopods) are a student interest group at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School. Their mission is to expose students interested in orthopaedic surgery to the vast clinical and research opportunities in the field, enhance medical education in orthopaedic surgery, and partner with experienced clinician mentors for research, shadowing, and community service. This is the third year in a row partnering with the SGH Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in volunteering at the KWSH Health Festival.

Blog post and photos by Andrew Chou, Duke-NUS MS3