Most important MS-1 subject?

[PaddyofNine]

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My friend and I were having an argument last week. It was over our future careers. He's gonna concentrate more on Anatomy for our upcoming exam, and leave out large tracts of Biochem.

I argued that biochem was at least, if not more, important to our future abilities to treat patients.

He argued that if he's sitting in his office in fifteen years time, knowledge of anatomy will be of far more importance to him than the TCA cycle! I was banking on the growing no. of metabolic related disorders, e.g. diabetes. I also argued that as a family doctor, and not for example a surgeon, he won't need that detail of anatomical knowledge.

Of all the options outlined above, which do you think is more important for the future? Not just MS2, MS3, etc. but for our future careers.

 

[Medpilot]

You are arguing more for Physiology more than for Biochem. Unless you want to know forever what the pK of enzyme X is, then I think pysiology would be a safer bet.

Then again that's the great part about medicine, there's something for everyone.

He argued that if he's sitting in his office in fifteen years time, knowledge of anatomy will be of far more importance to him than the TCA cycle! I was banking on the growing no. of metabolic related disorders, e.g. diabetes. I also argued that as a family doctor, and not for example a surgeon, he won't need that detail of anatomical knowledge.

 

[TommyGunn04]

While all of this basic science stuff is surely important, in ten or twenty years from now a good 50% of what we learned will be wrong or incomplete. On the other hand, most medical students take a course in a subject they'll actually use on a day to day basis for their entire careers. I'm referring to those courses which teach us how to interact with patients. I'd argue that the most important first-year course would be the one that people typically laugh about and mostly blow off, that teaches you about the patient-doctor relationship, about taking a history, conveying empathy, etc. etc.

Sadly, we still have LOTS of physicians who lack interpersonal skills and underestimate the importance of actually listening to their patients. After just one year on the wards I've already seen this countless times, but schools are at least taking a step in the right direction. They're teaching us about these things now, whereas they formerly neglected such matters in favor of teaching science which would soon become outdated. Of course, we still need to be well-versed in basic science in order to understand the fundamentals of pathophysiology and treatment, but one must recognize that without the patient there would be no field of medicine, hence the most important subject is that which teaches us how to treat the patient.

 

[Tiki]

I also think it depends on what field you are going into.

A surgeon might find Anatomy to be the most important, a Pathologist might find Histology to be the most important, an Endocrinologist might find Biochem to be the most important....ect.

 

[phoenixsupra]

My friend and I were having an argument last week. It was over our future careers. He's gonna concentrate more on Anatomy for our upcoming exam, and leave out large tracts of Biochem.

I argued that biochem was at least, if not more, important to our future abilities to treat patients.

He argued that if he's sitting in his office in fifteen years time, knowledge of anatomy will be of far more importance to him than the TCA cycle! I was banking on the growing no. of metabolic related disorders, e.g. diabetes. I also argued that as a family doctor, and not for example a surgeon, he won't need that detail of anatomical knowledge.

Of all the options outlined above, which do you think is more important for the future? Not just MS2, MS3, etc. but for our future careers.

He is right, You are wrong. People expect doctors to know anatomy very well. It's perfectly fine to just vaguely remember Biochem. But really stop arguing about this stuff. Learn to shift the conversation to non medical topics. It IS possible to overassimulate. 😉

 

[PaddyofNine]

He is right, You are wrong. People expect doctors to know anatomy very well. It's perfectly fine to just vaguely remember Biochem. But really stop arguing about this stuff. Learn to shift the conversation to non medical topics. It IS possible to overassimulate. 😉

I guess. Still, I just don't see that as a family doctor we'll need to know the origin, innervation, insertion and action of each of the 15+ muscles of the forearm, and so on!

And yeah, we sometimes talk about other stuff!

 

[fourthyearmed]

Definitely Physiology is most important. My physiology course was not one of my school's best courses and the fact that I am weak in it shows up all the time. Anything to do with Cardiology physiology is a mystery to me still. I hated Anatomy but as long as you remember the basics and don't plan on going into Surgery, Ortho, or Neuro it really won't matter. I had an awesome Biochem teacher and got a lot out of it but really don't use any of it besides the biochem behind genetic diseases (I'm going into Peds so this will be useful) and even than you really can't remember the details and have to look up the enzymes, etc.

 

[Boomer]

I would say the most important first year subject, both for boards and for building future knowledge is physiology. Followed closely by physiology, then physiology.

If you have time left over, you should probably study more physiology.

 

[Gunny]

I'd say, in decreasing order

Physiology
Anatomy
Biochemistry
Histology
Embyrology

 

[Barry Otter]

Barry Otter's guide to MS-1 subjects of greatest future importance:

1. A comprehensive knowledge of nearby bars

2. Knowing who the hot classmates are

3. Knowing whether said hot classmates have boyfriends/fiances/husbands/lesbian life companions

4. Physiology

5. Anatomy

I think that about sums it up.

 

[Mike59]

I guess. Still, I just don't see that as a family doctor we'll need to know the origin, innervation, insertion and action of each of the 15+ muscles of the forearm, and so on!

I agree totally...it's all about which specialty one chooses to pursue.

Physiology seems to get a lot of votes here, but I would argue that our understanding of Physiology is not really that clinically important... Physiology is really more of a springboard to understanding Pharmacology and Pathology, which reign supreme as the most important topics in all of med school for most specialties.

 

[phoenixsupra]

I guess. Still, I just don't see that as a family doctor we'll need to know the origin, innervation, insertion and action of each of the 15+ muscles of the forearm, and so on!

And yeah, we sometimes talk about other stuff!

I'm glad to hear that you guys do talk about other stuff. 😀 I know a few peeps who have completely lost that ability.

That origin/insertion/innervation stuff is important even for a family doc. Patients will come to you with orthopedic or rheumatic problems, minor lacs and sports injuries. If you don't have a good grasp of that stuff at least conceptually then you'll be next to useless to them and you'll annoy lots of specialists with pointless consults and referrals that you should have handled yourself. But really there is no right answer to your question. None of these "subjects" stand alone. That's why so many schools are moving to an organ based system. Really the most important thing you can do if you have the traditional approach is to spend a little extra time to put all the pieces together in your mind. Good luck.

ps. I didn't know there was a medschool in Roscommon 😕

 

[PaddyofNine]

ps. I didn't know there was a medschool in Roscommon 😕

Nah. There're three in Dublin though!

 

[MErc44]

lets all agree that embrology is totally worthless as well as a large part of biochem and pretty much all of histology unless of course you will be a pathologist. Strange though I can't remember the last time they showed me a slide of a carcinoma in situ in histology, or a tumor of any kind.

 

[woowoo]

embryology is definitely the most important. this is where it all began, and we can use this in every aspect of medicine. what a great subject.

 

[felipe5]

embryology is definitely the most important. this is where it all began, and we can use this in every aspect of medicine. what a great subject.

yikes, i hope your kidding........at least on the "what a great subject" line. <shudders with disguist> Well, seeing as I just got VIOLATED by a frickin' histology/cell bio test yesterday, its relieving to see that no one has voted for histo in this poll

 

[MErc44]

can someone please tell me, why is it that whenever I open a histology book I want to fall asleep? Funk that.

 

[phoenixsupra]

can someone please tell me, why is it that whenever I open a histology book I want to fall asleep? Funk that.

Ha ha. I can relate to that... a lot. I really began to hate the color purple. 😀