The outside check up started as an activity carried out by the Department of Public and Reproductive Health and AIDS of the Students’ Association of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (AEFML). There were two possible choices for the students interested: Crato and Grândola.

After those interested had been chosen by a draw, a short explanation was given on the eve of the journey as to the equipment we would be using and the circuit that had been established for the checkups to take place.

It was decided that we would have three stations: blood pressure measurement, glycemia and cholesterol and, as an integrating element, general advice. Each station was orientated according to the values established in the European guidelines, and in the last station we would make a correspondence with overall cardiovascular risk. The aim, in order to give the same chance to each student, was to rotate through all the stations. This would prevent the actions becoming monotonous and routine, reducing possible errors or desensitisation.

So on the morning of the 9th of April we arrived in the town of Crato for testing and extended human contact.

Despite our youthful air and our – in our opinion – clear lack of experience, we were received in each and every place in an enthusiastic manner and with a certain nervousness that was apparent to us; however, this was attenuated by the fact that no one was wearing a white coat or had a stethoscope around their necks.

During the checkups there was always some anxiety in the room, like a whirlwind! We have an idea of how peaceful and silent all the action was. The rooms became definitely animated, to the point that we had neighbours and friends comparing their results as if it were a competition.

The Blood Pressure station was mostly spent trying to find out if the values obtained were due to taking or forgetting to take the medicines people were supposed to take. Sometimes there were veritable battlefields in order to reinforce the idea that it was important to maintain the therapeutic scheme every day, or that it is a good idea to regularly measure one’s blood pressure regularly. We suggested many strategies and tricks, al the ones we could remember, in order for them not to forget their medication. In some rare cases, we had people who brought along all the medication that they were taking, as if they were going to a real consultation!

At the glycemia and cholesterol measuring veritable juggling tricks were done with calloused fingers hardened in the sun, stating jokingly “I don’t have any blood” when we insisted desperately to take a sample.

The real work (and work load as well) came in the last session, involving advice and raising awareness. There were some who were desolate on hearing that moderation with smoked sausages, alcohol and salt was necessary, particularly as fish was seen almost as a vile food, the enemy of a good table.

This activity allowed the students of the several different years to share experiences, and to socialise as if in an inter-transmission of knowledge. This last aspect was particularly notable during the check up sessions in order to give advice and direct the people we were dealing with.

From a more intimate point of view, we managed to make this check up session an enriching moment due to a more overall view we got of the reality that will await us one day as future doctors. This was a good practical representation of a local action that may have repercussions on a global consequence.

Carolina Canhoto
Student in the fourth year of the MIM, carolinacanhoto@gmail.com