As I was making my patient rounds in the hospital, a medical intern was assisting me. Since I am fond of giving teaching rounds, I asked some questions to her in order to stimulate her medical analytical thinking. WOW!!!! I was instead surprised on how much these medical interns go to the hospital and know.... aahhhh... oohhhh... aahhhh.... Did that drive the point?
I would have been more understanding if this is her first month, but after rotating to the medical department wherein neurology is included, I was shocked that they are not even familiar with the reason behind the particular medicines that are given on such patients. I even asked her if she read and gone through the basic equipments in our rehabilitation department. After 1.5 weeks she was just able to check and read some. After that I stopped lecturing. I felt frustrated.
This is not the only case. I also had my faculty staff meeting in the PT College yesterday. The staff are so much disappointed with the 3rd year because they don't even read their books. They rely only on handouts or lecture notes given to them by the medical lecturer. They study by memorizing and not even knowing the rationale (which is important in medicine) of why it is the procedure or management to be done. What is more disturbing is that these students are even complaining that they are being pushed to read. Duh!!!!!!!
Is this the present state of the general population of students? Are they just content in doing trivial things and not taking seriously their would be profession. What is sad to see is that their parents are sweating blood and tears just to make them finish and they don't even try to make it a worthy effort in reciprocating.
What have we done to the new generation? Filipino young blood who don't give a (censored) on what they need to be responsible about.
Teaching them starts at home. I do hope we teach our own children the value of education and the value of having values.
So which one are you?
Blog out...
I share your anxiety over the deteriorating study habits and quality of learners we have through time. I agree with understanding over 'recall' a.k.a. memorization. But because the teaching styles and the time constraints our schools face are factors to these students' interest and way of learning, we cannot point fingers offhand. I too have been a victim of just memorizing stuff for an exam, all because the subject failed to interest me for me to listen in during discussion and I just wanted to get it over and done with.
ReplyDeleteIt is of course different per field but it all boils down to loving what you do and taking things to heart, especially when other people's lives are at stake. It starts from the person and only the person can better himself. Anyway, I hope whoever aids me, if and when I need it paid attention to his/her lessons. *wink
Edmund,
ReplyDeleteI was once that palpak type of student. Alam mo namang ako ang laging bumibili ng snack sa residency training kapag brachial plexus na- kasi di ko memorize ( hanggang ngayon!!!.
But let me give you an insight of what medical learning should include. We should teach medical students how to start their medical careers properly. Meaning, they should be taught how to register their profession as a business; how to issue Official Receipts for consultations & record the transaction in their book of accounts; how to understand why there is a withholding tax; and finally how to make them understand that the taxes physician's pay will help build this country.
That is the state of medical learning.
Pasyal ka dito sa Caraga!