A community-based learning experience for medical students

A programme in which medical students are attached to Children's Institutions for one year is described. The students' role embraces a medical and psychosocial component in which students conduct clinics, screening programmes and health education as well as develop relationships with individuals and groups of children. This experiential learning programme enables medical students to obtain an understanding of children's needs and work through their own feelings which are aroused when confronted with children who have been deprived and abused.