University of Toronto's Mini-Med School is back for a third year with new topics, new speakers and new electives, including sessions on chronic pain and end-of-life care.

The popular six-session, continuing-education course teaches students - ranging from high schoolers to seniors - about the workings of their bodies while helping them to become better-informed health consumers.

"I describe Mini-Med School as self-education leading to self-awareness and finally to self-management," says Dr. Mike Evans, a family practitioner who serves as course director. "We teach the principles of evidence-based medicine: how to separate the wheat from the chaff."

The 2004-2005 course, which is given in the fall and again in the spring, features prominent physicians who are U of T faculty members teaching about six key areas of the body: the brain, the heart, the ear, the eye, the liver and the kidney. The fall session runs six consecutive Thursday evenings from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Tuition is $105 for full-time students and seniors and $195 for adults.

This year, Mini-Med School also offers four new electives. Each runs for two or three nights and is priced accordingly. The topics are Understanding Chronic Pain; Women's Health; End of Life Care: Death, Dying, Grief & Bereavement and Lifestyle Change: Be Your Own CEO. The latter is Evans' personal passion and he helps teach the course.

"Today, more than ever, we're in charge of our own health," says Evans. "Each of us has the opportunity to become an expert on our own physical well-being."

For registration details, visit mini-med.utoronto for additional information or call 416-978-2719.

CONTACT:
Jessica Black Elaine Smith
Course Administrator U of T Public Affairs
416-946-8389 416-978-5949
jessica.blackutoronto elaine.smithutoronto