Student Community Projects

In recent years, medical students have visited upper secondary schools in Iceland and primary schools in the capital area to talk about the importance of STD prevention and the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.

Prevention work is based on these school visits during which emphasis is placed on education on STDs, contraception, and abortion. The goal is to meet with new students in upper secondary school since this allows medical students to reach the greatest target audience.

Information and news about the work of Ástráður – the Medical Student Organisation for Preventive Action, (in Icelandic) can be found online.

Dental services

The University of Iceland Faculty of Odontology provides dental services for the general public. The service is available while teaching is in session, from mid-August until November and from early January until mid-April.

Further information can be found on the Faculty of Odontology website, currently in Icelandic.

Orator, the law student organisation, offers legal advice for the general public free of charge via phone (+354 551 1012), Thursday evenings between 7:30-10 p.m. The service is available beginning in September each year and until the middle of April, with the exception of the month of December, during the examination period for law students.

It has been operational for many years and was, for example, awarded the Community Prize (Samfélagsverðlaun) of the Icelandic newspaper Fréttablaðið. Master's students at the University of Iceland Faculty of Law, under the supervision of practising lawyers, provide assistance and answer questions.

Information on Orator (in Icelandic) can be found on the organisation's website, Orator.is.

Psychological student counselling (Sálfræðiráðgjöf háskólanema) is a training centre in clinical psychology, operated by the University's Faculty of Psychology.

The counselling sessions have a twofold purpose: on the one hand to train graduate students in Psychology in conducting clinical work; and on the other to provide clients, i.e. university students and their children, with psychological counselling services. Psychology students at the cand. psych. level provide counsel under the professional guidance of a certified psychologist.

Information on the service, such as how to book an appointment, pricing, and more can be found at the Faculty of Psychology website.

Skjöldur, the Nursing Student Organisation for Preventive Action, was established 2009 and has carried out educational work in primary schools about self-image and its importance.

The goal of the organisation is to:

• Increase nursing students' knowledge and skills in public health and prevention issues.
• Work in the community to increase prevention and education for young people.
• Strengthen students' work methods in evidence-based prevention, intervention, and education.
• Develop an evidence and knowledge foundation for prevention and public health.

Information on Skjöldur's work (in Icelandic) can be found on the organisation's website and Facebook page.

The Public Health Organisation of Medical Students (Lýðheilsufélag læknanema) has made it possible during the past few years for preschool children, ages 3-6, to visit the hospital with their sick or injured teddies and toys.

The goal of the project is twofold: one the one hand, to prevent children from developing a fear of doctors, healthcare professionals, and the hospital environment; and on the other hand to give medical students an early opportunity to practice interacting with children as part of their work.

Information and news (in Icelandic) can be found on the Facebook page of the Teddy Hospital (Bangsaspítalinn).