Muhammad ilyas siddiqui
Mon Jun 18, 2001
Medical
education in sindh: setting things straight!
By Muhammad Ilyas Siddiqui
To bring much needed “change” in medical education, it requires long-term
orientation and clarity of vision .Though much have been written about the
subject in consideration, quite often it remains a matter of arguments
and discussions sessions without much being seen for implementation. For
us to write about improving the public health of society or education at
colleges and universities should not come without knowing the environment
the inhabitants of the Sind live in. It is indeed a matter of deep
grievance to visit and visualize the living conditions of Sind population
characterized by poverty ridden hopelessness syndrome.
You and me – all are known about the prevailing conditions of the general
health of interior Sind. Just to revise it is a bitter nucleus formed by
tuberculoses, unavailability of water, and absence of sanitary
facilitates, large family structure, illiteracy and so on. In all this
there is a vital role that medical education and the people of the field
are supposed to play but unfortunately it does not happens to the extent a
developing society would or should expect.
To bring much needed “change” in medical education, it requires long-term
orientation and clarity of vision. The institutions, administrations and
students all are aware of the problems as well as solutions but it has to
be done in discrete way. It is pivotal that the issues are not just
‘talked out' but are ‘acted upon' as well. It requires ‘just do it'
attitude and bailout has to come from within. Change management is always
a constant process and it has to be handled with care to make it a
successful program.
When a system is devised its performance and
output is determined by the input and process. And in the subject under
discussion medical students form the foremost input and medical
colleges/universities and perhaps doctors act as processes. And doctors
then become input and the chain continues. To start with as output is the
function of input, the relationship of this bond has to be strengthened. A
student that enters the system should with a mindset to serve rather than
earn and the standards set by college or university he or she is entering
has to demonstrate this by setting the prime examples.
There are no doubts over the ill fact that doctors produced today are
short of confidence and lack technical knowledge when they come onto
field. More than anything, it is because of the quality of education. Lack
of facilities combined with unwillingness to shift to modern methods of
education is the key reasons to have miserable conditions today.
Needless to say that there are exceptions and there are institutes with
modern styles of education today, the trend however has dominated
Management Science and Computer Science and not much has been
acclimatizing by Medical Sciences. The following points just attempt to
present a few suggestions in this regard, which might be of some
consideration.
From the first day of the MBBS, students should be made aware about the
medical and health conditions at different parts of the country by means
of orientation programs, seminars and guest speaker sessions. These are
not mere lip services but do bring in motivations to have a future in
students.
Frequent guest speakers sessions from the experts shall be conducted on
different dimension of medical science so that students have better
horizon so think about career lines and can arouse interest in fields they
are unknown of.
Colleges and universities have to be equipped with the audio/visual
libraries and computer libraries. It is difficult to understand that when
education has become so easy with the emergence of internet and much can
be learned with demonstration CDs, we resist showing any move towards such
systems. It has never been convenient for either teacher or students to be
in dissection hall. Imagine one body for over 60 students and teacher
trying to cope up while students jumping to have a look.
Examination system has to be taken beyond any doubt of integrity. All over
the places, Mcqs have proven to be effective but we are still happy to
carry with memory tests. Frequent short tests and spot quiz help but
strictness in attendance and punctuality has to be ensures as the
preamble.
There should be publications written by students and teachers on monthly
or quarterly basis. This helps learning; sharing of knowledge is
important, beside it has other advantages too. Separate publications shall
be made by students of each year so that the foundation of constant
learning can be laid all along the graduation tenure.
Exclusive medical science internet labs should be established. This should
give students an environment to feel in the medical world and acquire
latest notes on the medical science free of cost. Nowhere in the academic
places are such services charged and so should not be in this case.
Students have to be teamed up with teachers. Students should be given the
sense of responsibility if they are to be something of value generators.
For example, emergency centers should be established at some potential
locations and students should be engaged in services to gain confidence
and to know about the problems of patients. Essentially, a blood bank is
required with all medical college/university hospitals that should
register the unique number to all the students and doctors with their
blood groups so that casualties can be handled on time.
Free camps for various diseases and treatments have to be arranged to
cover the maximum population and to know more and more about the places
where medical facilities should be upgraded immediately.
On the patients' side, administrators have to ensure that medicines are
available at affordable prices. The time runners should be in
communication with government to get subsidiary rates and assured supply.
Operation theatres and medical equipments have to be upgraded. The use of
new machines and technologies has to be brought in and proper technicians
of the field should be employed. Another thing that is uncommon at
our place and is
definitely required is the research. It is the information and data
collection that is required to help the causes. Unless or until, unknown
is not converted to known, not much can be expected. Findings have to be
revealed so that the free camps and emergency centers etc can be
established at ideal locations. It would be wise if medical institutes
open
their public health research centers.
All this would not come free of cost. It certainly requires lot of funds
and it is the responsibility of administration to highlight all this
through media and communicate message to the health ministry. Task teams
should come in direct interaction with government to get the finances to
get work done and NGOs as well shall make their contribution.
All said and done, what it requires to begin with is the commitment.
‘Commitment' is the name of change. These papers and discussion just
serve the purpose of awareness and temporary satisfactions. It is vital
that things are narrowed down and physically implemented at optimal
level. People would only cooperate if they see things actually changing.
Instead of short-term solutions, steps of permanent nature are to be
taken. Once the process is initiated and continuation assured, there is no
reason that struggle do not reap the fruit.
The author is the MBBS final year student at
Liaquat
University of Medical Health and Science (LUMHS)
Jamshoro, Sindh.