UAB Synopsis, Vol. 27, No. 42, November 10, 2008
The UAB School of Medicine’s Class of 2012 participated in team-building and leadership exercises when its members arrived for new student orientation this year. Students in small groups confronted a variety of tasks and challenges.
“The practice of medicine is very much a team concept,” Medical Student Life Director Stephen R. Smith, PhD, says. “The medical school curriculum is designed for students to work and learn in small groups, so our hope is these exercises in team building will help them prepare for that environment.”
The UAB Counselor Education Program developed the exercises, led by graduate students seeking certification in Challenge Course Education. They help students learn to value the strengths of each member of a group while learning to help each other overcome weaknesses.
“Teamwork is the primary goal,” says Lawrence Tyson, PhD, associate professor of counselor education. “The quiet follower needs to learn leadership skills while the aggressive leader must understand that all members of a group bring valuable skills to a project. The team should learn from the skill sets of each other.”