The present invention relates to a family-oriented board game that encourages players to increase their medical knowledge test and refresh their existing knowledge and move up the Health Care career ladder. Specifically this is a game where a player is rewarded by advancement for their depth of medical knowledge, encouraging further medical education and learning. The present invention can be played by members of the general public or by health care professionals. The game may be played with two to eight players or teams of players. A single player who is interested in expanding their medical knowledge and testing themselves may also play the game. It is anticipated that the competitive aspect of playing against another person or persons will heighten the enjoyment and educational aspirations of the game.
With reference to the
The order of play between players will generally be decided by the roll of a die, the player with the highest roll going first, and the person to the left of the high roller going next, and play proceeding in that manner around the board. Other means may be used to determine the order of play, such as agreement between the players, or who was the winner of the last game, etc.
To start the game, each player puts his or her token on the “Annual Salary” square. Play is accomplished by rolling a die or dice and advancing the same number of squares along the board as is shown on the die or dice. Place on the board is kept by position of each players token. The purpose of the game is to have the players advance through different levels of the medical profession. In a preferred embodiment of the game, each player will start with an educational equivalent of high school and will endeavor to rise through the ranks of the medical profession by obtaining more advanced degrees and experience. Referring to
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To advance through a particular educational level, a player must first land on the Nursing School Square 8. When a player lands on Square 8, he or she will be given a question to answer. Questions are printed on cards supplied with the game. If the player answers the question correctly, they may advance one step up the medical profession ladder. However, to advance the player must not only answer the question correctly, but must be able to pay a tuition fee for the next level of advancement. For example, the first rank on the medical profession is that of CNA, or Certified Nurses Assistant. The tuition fee for that rank may be $50. The next level of advancement would be LPN, or Licensed Practical Nurse. The tuition fee for that rank may be $100, and so on. The ranks of the nursing profession in the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the tuition fees are: CNA—$50; LPN—$100; and RN (registered nurse) $150. There are three RN levels: RN with Associates Degree, RN with Bachelor's Degree, and RN with Masters Degree. The annual salary levels for the ranks in the Nursing Profession are: CNA—$25.00; LPN—$50; RN (Associates Degree) $75; RN (Bachelors Degree) $100; RN (Masters Degree) $125.
To advance through the levels of nursing, the player must land on the Nursing School Square, answer the question presented correctly and pay the tuition fee. After a player has advanced through all of the nursing ranks, they must then advance through the ranks of Doctor. To accomplish this, the player must land on the Medical School Square, answer correctly the question present, and pay the tuition fee. The ranks of Doctor and the associated tuition fees are: Resident—$300; Medical Doctor $350; Surgeon—$400; Chief of Staff—$450 and Surgeon General of the United States—$500. The annual salary for these levels are: Resident—$150; MD—$175; Surgeon—$200; Chief of Staff—$225. The Surgeon General of the United States does not receive a salary as when a player reaches that level, the game is ended, or that person is retired from the game. The first person to advance to the rank of Surgeon General of the United States wins the game and play can either end at that point or continue to advance the other players.
Each player will be supplied with a card indicating his or her level or rank. The card will be kept in front of the player so the other players can immediately tell the standing of all the players. Each time a player advances completely around the board and passes the Annual Salary Square they will be paid one-half of the tuition fee for highest level of education they have achieved. During game play the 28 spaces of play provide opportunity for the player to advance or might otherwise reward or punish the player. On each play, regardless of the place where the player lands, the player will be required to answer a question drawn from the question bank. Approximately one out of every four cards drawn will reward the player monetarily if the question is answered correctly. The amount of monetary reward will be $10. An incorrect answer for those questions that do not have monetary rewards does not penalize the player. An incorrect answer to a question having a monetary reward will penalize the player in the amount of the monetary reward. An incorrect answer requires the player to deposit the amount of the reward into the “bank” or the reserve of play money supplied with the game. In addition to the question cards having monetary rewards there will be a number of cards labeled “Patients Rights.” Drawing a “Patient's Rights” card entitles the player to another turn.
Some of the squares on the board will penalize and/or reward the player for landing on them. These squares will have printed on them the word “Co-Pay.” In the preferred embodiment of the game, the “Co-Pay” squares are: the “Dr.'s Office: Squares 6 and 20, the Pharmacy Squares 10 and 23, and the Urgent Care Center Square 7 will be marked as “Co-Pay.” When the player lands on these squares he or she will be rewarded the amount of the Co-Pay indicated on the square for a correct answer, and penalized the amount of the “Co-Pay” for an incorrect answer. Any penalty will be placed in the Scholarship Fund Square 29 in the center of the board. Landing on the “Hospital” Square 15 or the “City Morgue” Square 25, they lose their turn and do not draw a card. The player will resume play on the next turn.
The preferred embodiment of the game comprises several sets of question cards of varying degrees of difficulty separated by degree. This allows questions to be tailored to the age or experience of the player.