STUDENTS proudly showed off their “broken thumbs” yesterday.

The plastering activity for Albury Public School year 1 students was part of Albury Teddy Bear Hospital, an initiative of University of NSW Albury-Wodonga Rural Clinical School students.

“It’s about taking the fear away and making them familiar with the process in case it happens one day,” medical student Nadia Evans said.

The event also aimed to educate children about health and familiarising them with hospital environments.

Kaitlyn Simuong, 6, couldn’t wait to go home and show off her plaster cast.

“I broke my thumb but it doesn’t hurt,” she said.

Medical students ran four interactive workshops.

“What’s in the doctor’s bag?” taught students about commonly used medical equipment in hospitals and GP rooms, while the healthy eating station taught them about the food pyramid.

“We have touched on healthy eating in class, so it reinforces those messages,” Albury public teacher Shelley Merritt said.

“I have been looking around and the students have all been really engaged.”

Medical student Claire Powell said 20 students had been involved in planning the event since the start of the year.

Head of campus Dr Peter Vine said it was a wonderful way to introduce young children to medicine and doctors in a non-threatening way, so that subsequent associations were much less traumatic.

The event will be rolled out in other primary schools on the Border.