Additional needs education - katie

To what extent do children with additional needs work better in mainstream schools, in comparison to special schools?

Why this topic?

I chose this topic because I’m interested in developmental psychology and children’s mental health, but also have a passion for improving the education system I hope to become a teacher in the future and have worked with children with additional needs; so, completing this EPQ has allowed me to gain a really in-depth understanding of the challenges faced. This topic is so important because it affects every single one of us, and by providing equal access to education and teaching children about diversity we will create an inclusive and educated society of the future What did you discover?

I concluded that children with additional needs do work better when integrated into mainstream schools, however there is a significant requirement for appropriate support to be in place; and if this cannot be provided then special schools should be made more accessible. I discovered that the education system is failing so many students, whether this is by depriving them access to support for their needs, or not protecting them from bullying and stigma; and this is something that desperately needs re

Medical ethics - lisara

The American Medical Device Safety Crisis: To What Extent Should the FDA 510(k)* Pathway be Overhauled?

Why this topic?

I chose a topic relating to the medical field, as I hope to work in the healthcare industry. I first became interested in the medical device safety crisis after watching the Netflix documentary ‘The Bleeding Edge’ . There is a staggering number of people across America who have been severely affected by faulty medical devices, so I thought it would be interesting to take a deep dive into some of the most serious cases regarding medical device failures. It was also interesting to hear patients’ stories on the subject, and to learn about the importance of patient safety in the healthcare world What did you discover?

I came to the conclusion that this pathway should be fully overhauled. From my research, I have found that a large number of pharmaceutical companies have been accused of conducting little to no clinical testing, before selling their medical devices and implants There was also evidence to suggest that manufacturers may exploit the systems put in place by healthcare organisations, to prioritise their profit over the patient safety. I think that this is something the American government should address, in order to prevent injuries due to medical devices from being such a widespread issue in the future.

*Process manufacturers take to get their devices approved and sold on the market. The problem with the process is that it does not have tight testing regulations - which leads to faulty devices.