On 18 December 2024, students from the Faculty of Medicine of the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) visited the Macau Association for the Hearing Impaired. Organized by the Student Union of the Faculty of Medicine, the event provided a valuable opportunity for the students to learn about the challenges faced by the hearing impaired and to explore ways to make healthcare more accessible.
Assistant Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Daniel Baptista-Hon, opened the event with a brief introduction to the MBBS program and highlighted the importance of inclusive healthcare practices. He commended the Macau Association of the Hearing Impaired for their vital contributions in supporting the hearing-impaired community in Macau and raising public awareness.
During the visit, students attended a presentation by a representative of the Association, which outlined the organization's impactful initiatives and its work in advocating for the hearing-impaired community. Subsequently, the students attended a sign language class to learn common medical-related sign language terms to communicate more effectively with hearing impaired patients.
The event also featured interactive sessions, allowing students to interact directly with the members of the association. They performed simple health checks, creating meaningful connections. Students gained hands-on experience in providing patient-centered healthcare to a diverse population.
This collaboration underscores the Faculty of Medicine’s commitment that fostering compassion, inclusivity, and community engagement in medical education. The Faculty expressed its heartfelt gratitude to the Macau Association of the Hearing Impaired for their hospitality. We looked forwards to further collaboration in the future to promote health and welfare for the citizens.
Student, Stephen Tang said that, in this activity, he learned the basic and medical-related sign language, which is particularly important for future communication with hearing impaired patients. During the activity, basic physical examination was also carried out for the hearing impaired, which is a valuable experience for the application of knowledge. and he hope that he can give better sevice to the people in need in the future.
Student, Weber Lo expressed that after conducting basic physical examinations for hearing impaired individuals, he realized the significant benefits of using sign language in enhancing communi-cation and the efficiency of medical services. He also noted that it was worth considering the creation of a medical sign language application manual in the future to further improve the quality of medical services.
Student, Loey Lou expressed gratitude for the communication experience provided by the event, which deepened her understanding of communication. She felt that hearing-impaired individuals are one of the most important part of the society. They deserve attention and care. She hope that sign language will become more widespread in the future and promote a friendly Macau.
Student, Ngo Laam Tong said that the activity provided an opportunity to know the living conditions and listened to the self-improvement experiences of the hearing-impaired. Not only enhances the students' empathy, but also motivates them to persevere in studying medicine. Furthermore, this visit not only deepened the medical students' understanding of the hearing-impaired community, but also provided them with a platform to give humanistic care.
Both The Faculty of Medicine Student Association of MUST and the Macao Association of Hearing Impaired, hope to continue their co-operation in the future to promote social integration and the development of medical education!
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