How would you change medicine

[peehdee]

Now that you're taken a few med school course, how would you make the processs of getting into med school better? in an idealize society of course. (i realize that someone will say it can't happen)

1) would you let most applicants go directly from high school and make med school longer than 4 years?

2) would you want students to be older than 22 years of age?

3) would you require med students to memerize so much basic science that most people wouldn't remember anyway? i.e., would you cut down on the basic science that we're flooded with? just give us the basic ideas.

4) would you have lecture base courses for your preclinical courses. as opposed to actually looking at 'model' patients, understanding the signs and symptoms first, then going in deeper and deeper (this is what happens to this patient and here are the molecular evernts). right now we learn about DNA and protein and cells, and tissues and organ and than maybe a few things about what the patient might actually look like/feel etc. then we hit the wards and have no idea (or very little) what to expect, except that we kinda know what might be happening to their cells (which genes might be turned on). wouldn't it be nice if could learn the signs and symptoms and how to treat them, THEN learn what events (unseen to the eye) were responsible for it?

5) would you make medical education free since it is service that everyone needs. you know pick the people who are willing to do it for less pay but come out of school dept free. or do you think the capitalistic way we have it now it better

add anything else to this list.

ok that's all i have. i should be studying for an exam tomorrow.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[superdood]

Now that you're taken a few med school course, how would you make the processs of getting into med school better? in an idealize society of course. (i realize that someone will say it can't happen)

1) would you let most applicants go directly from high school and make med school longer than 4 years?

2) would you want students to be older than 22 years of age?

3) would you require med students to memerize so much basic science that most people wouldn't remember anyway? i.e., would you cut down on the basic science that we're flooded with? just give us the basic ideas.

4) would you have lecture base courses for your preclinical courses. as opposed to actually looking at 'model' patients, understanding the signs and symptoms first, then going in deeper and deeper (this is what happens to this patient and here are the molecular evernts). right now we learn about DNA and protein and cells, and tissues and organ and than maybe a few things about what the patient might actually look like/feel etc. then we hit the wards and have no idea (or very little) what to expect, except that we kinda know what might be happening to their cells (which genes might be turned on). wouldn't it be nice if could learn the signs and symptoms and how to treat them, THEN learn what events (unseen to the eye) were responsible for it?

5) would you make medical education free since it is service that everyone needs. you know pick the people who are willing to do it for less pay but come out of school dept free. or do you think the capitalistic way we have it now it better

add anything else to this list.

ok that's all i have. i should be studying for an exam tomorrow.

I think undergrad before med school is a good idea because many people can be undecided for a long time before they choose medicine. i know they do this differently in other countries, but i think maturity is as important as intellect. in the same regard, age should be a factor. since i started when i was 22, i don't know if i can agree with your idea. haha. but i did feel like i lacked some "worldly" experience compared to a lot of people in my class. as for the basic science. i think that's important. i maybe biased because i am leaning towards a career in research, but i think a fundamental knowledge of the basic sciences is important because it allows the doctor to think beyond the scope of memorize and treat. then again, if you don't care to work in research, basic science is worthless to most. as for the preclinical stuff, doesn't your school offer you introduction to clinical medicine or something where you can practice your clinical skills? medical education... i don't think communism works.

 

[Sean2tall]

I feel like there is a tenuous balance going on between how much hoop-jumping is actually necessary to make good physicians and how much just keeps the field narrowed. If we were able to go directly from high school, there would be a hugely increased number of applicants, since nobody would have time to get tired of being in school. This would make competition a lot stiffer for those that do apply out of HS. But at the same time, forcing a higher age would turn away a great number of people. If I had to wait even one more year to begin working on my career, I would likely be fed up and do something else.

Likewise, adding/taking-away one year of science curriculum might push people away or make it seem easier and less of a committment (respectively).

Anyway, if I were in charge of this kind of thing, I would be afraid to do anything lest the balance goes all to hell.

 

[azzarah]

I would make it 2 years of undergrad and 6 years of med school. I would not necessarily cut down on the really basic science stuff (genetics, metabolism, biochem, etc.), but I would still have it be one year in a 6 year curriculum and spend more time on clinical stuff. I would include more public health stuff in the curriculum and require a couple of weeks of research or service in an underserved area. I would subsid. med school rather than make it free and pay residents more.