Medicine student Jilada Wilhelm leads AGT in Düsseldorf

Jilada Wilhelm (20 year old, photo) studies 4th semester Medicine at the faculty in Düsseldorf and leads the newly established Education Against Tobacco group along with her fellow student Anna Eifer. To find out more about their local engagement, I conducted an interview with the young PhD scholar.

 

Jilada, what motivates you to contribute as a leader in Education Against Tobacco (AGT) in Dusseldorf?

“It is important to explain to young people on an equal footing, so that they do not have a feeling of being patronized. Through AGT, the students get important information about the topics of nicotine and smoking, but not in the form of pages and pages of statistics or boring textbook knowledge. AGT provides the information packed with interesting facts and interactive exercises. And it is fun to prepare for it in advance and be creative, so that the young people’s interest is aroused. My personal motivation is to trigger the Aha effect, so that students take their decisions independently against tobacco with our help. Through this, I hope to see fewer young students at bus stops with a fag in future.”

What are the further plans at AGT Düsseldorf?

“At Düsseldorf, we are still in the initial stages and want to visit the first schools in the next school year/semester. Up to now, we have done workshops to develop seminars and presentations together with all the interested parties. A lot of good suggestions and new ideas came up. The motivation was felt by all and so it was a pleasure to prepare for it. We look forward to the winter semester in 2015/16, when we will finally visit the first schools.”

How do your fellow students and your social circle react to your educational work?

“I would be delighted if the interest on the part of students continues to rise, so that we can reach many young people in the near future with the project. There is also a plan to enforce AGT as an optional subject at the dean’s office. But first of all, I look forward, as I said, to the first school visits and eagerly await the feedback.

My circle supports me in the project, and shows interest in whatever I say and do. Some of my friends, as well as my roommate, are taking an active role, so at any time I can exchange ideas with them and immediately get feedback or new ideas. Surprisingly, many of my smoker friends also find the project good. In conversations with them about smoking and addiction, I get to hear a lot from the perspective of a smoker and thereby I often realize how important education is at a young age.”

 

 

 

 

Do you study medicine in Düsseldorf? You can support Jilada here: http://gegentabak.de/universitaet-duesseldorf/