Report by Giovanna Battaglia, Principal of IISS Enrico Medi | July 8, 2026
Medialthea is supporting the development of a new healthcare training laboratory at IISS Enrico Medi in Palermo, giving students the opportunity to strengthen their professional skills through practical, hands-on learning.
The new space is dedicated to students enrolled in the school’s Health and Social Care Services programme and is designed to reproduce real healthcare and assistance settings in a safe learning environment.
Medialthea’s €25,000 contribution
Medialthea contributed €25,000 to support the creation and equipment of the new healthcare training laboratory at IISS Enrico Medi in Palermo.
The funding covered the set-up of the space, professional healthcare equipment and the adaptations needed to create a functional environment for practical training.
The project’s total estimated cost was €25,000, including approximately €2,000 for building adaptations.
From theory to real-world skills
The laboratory allows students to practise some of the activities they may encounter in their future professional careers, including patient care, personal hygiene, mobility and assisted transfers, monitoring vital signs, first aid, healthcare safety procedures and teamwork.
The space includes professional healthcare equipment such as hospital beds, training mannequins, wheelchairs, patient lifting equipment, medical carts and instruments for monitoring basic vital signs.
The aim is to bring practical experience into everyday education, helping students transform theoretical knowledge into technical, relational and organisational skills before entering real professional settings.
Supporting more than 100 students
he Health and Social Care Services programme currently has 105 students, with enrolment increasing following the introduction of an extracurricular programme leading to the OSS professional qualification.
Laboratory activities involve students throughout the five-year programme for approximately 38 hours every week.
Students specialising as healthcare assistants also complete 100 hours of practical laboratory training, supported by professionals in fields including anatomy, physiology, nursing and paediatrics.
105 students enrolled
38 hours of laboratory activities every week
100 hours of practical training for OSS students
Preparing students for their professional future
Practical education is only one part of a broader pathway towards employment.
IISS Enrico Medi has also established a partnership with ISMETT – Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies, allowing students to complete a 450-hour post-diploma internship in a highly specialised healthcare environment.
By supporting the new laboratory, Medialthea is helping strengthen a training pathway that connects education, practical experience and future professional opportunities.
The project reflects Medialthea’s commitment to creating concrete educational opportunities for young people, giving them the tools and skills needed to build their future and contribute to the communities in which they live.
