On 23rd March 2016, 12 students of Medical Sociology (Bachelors and Masters) from the Madras Medical Mission (MMM) School of Health Sciences, Mogappair came to MOHAN Foundation for an orientation visit. They were accompanied by their lecturer Mr. S. P. Raj.

Medical sociology is concerned with the relationship between social factors and health and the application of sociological theory and research techniques to questions related to health and the health care system. Organ donation and transplantation is impacted by a number of sociocultural factors and therefore medical sociology has great relevance in this field.

Dr. Sumana Navin, Course Director, spoke to the students about MOHAN Foundation's role in the deceased organ donation programme since 1997. She apprised them of the status of deceased organ donation in the country, especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala. She shared a recent article that underlined the fact that organ donation in Kerala was a people's movement effected through sociocultural change. She then went on to talk to them in detail about the What, Why, When, Who and How of organ donation and transplantation. Films on brain death and a recipient's experience as well as promotional films on organ donation were shown.

Ms. Sunitha, Transplant coordinator began her session with a case study presentation to help the students better understand the concept of counselling. She also explained the stages of grief and highlighted the following keys points to be remembered in the process of counselling:

•      Active listening

•      Clarification and reflection

•      Effective questioning

•      Seeing things from the client’s point of view

•      Case Writing

She then shared her experiences as a Grief Counsellor in the government general hospital, Chennai.

Two students Miss. Bhavani and Mr. Augustine, who had donated blood were felicitated for their inspiring contribution to society. All the students pledged to support organ donation.

Dr. Sumana Navin also spoke to the students about Transplant Coordination as a career option and briefed them about MOHAN Foundation's Transplant Coordinators' Training Programme, including the one year E-learning course.