Knowledge of the Medical School and Studying Medicine Flashcards
What are the differences between paternalistic and patient centred medicine
Paternalistic medicine is a school of medical ethics where the physician makes all the decisions regarding their care and patients merely do what they are told, whereas patient centred medicine is about the patient’s own preference in their treatment and ensuring they understand everything about the treatment. Generally patient centred is a more modern and the current favoured school of ethics within medicine as it builds on the importance of patient autonomy, however sometimes within medicine paternalistic care has its place, particularly if a patient is deemed to no longer have capacity, then the physician may feel it necessary to overrule patient autonomy. Generally it is considered that patient centred medicine leads to an increase in patient’s engagement as patients feel more involved and they understand why they are doing what they are doing or why they are taking medication which means they are much more likely to actually do it, which is an issue faced by paternalism, because even if you tell them to do the ‘right thing’ there’s no guarantee that they actually will.
Have you spoken to any current medical students?
I am very fortunate to work in a vaccination centre which gives me the opportunity to not only talk to GPs and allied healthcare professionals but also medical students who have told me a lot about what life is like at medical school, some of the challenges they face and have given me some great advice on how to manage stress and manage a good work life balance. From speaking to them I’ve reaffirmed my passion for medicine and am now more certain than ever that this is the right degree and career for me.
What will you bring to this medical school?
Above all else I will bring a passion for learning and enthusiasm for patient care which is needed to grow in to a good doctor. I will also bring compassion and empathy for patients to try to make them comfortable in any scenario. I will bring resilience and a realistic approach and insight into medicine I have acquired through working in a patient facing profession in a vaccination centre and this will help me to cope with the stresses of medical school and persist through its challenges while enjoying the journey.
How will you cope with the pressure of studying medicine?
I think a large part of dealing with stress and pressure is the ability to set aside time away from work so that you do not become consumed by medicine. You must also make connections on your course so you have people in a similar situation to you as well as people off your course so you can still receive fresh perspectives away from medicine.
What is the difference between integrated and PBL?
An integrated course structure means a course where you receive early clinical exposure and learn clinical skills alongside knowledge in your pre-clinical years at medical school.
PBL- a system of learning where students are given a problem based on the topic of study and are asked to discuss issues then go away and research them and then come back to present their findings and compare notes.
PBL can be used as a style of learning in an integrated course, however it can also be case based or lecture/seminar based.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of PBL?
Advantages- promotes independent learning and study, builds teamwork and communication skills as well as knowledge, chance to develop leadership skills, emulates a more real healthcare work scenario, encourages deeper understanding
Disadvantages- prior learning does not prepare as well for PBL, group dynamics can impact learning, some people may be anxious and struggle to join in
Why is it important for medical students to teach?
Studies of learning show teaching is most effective way to consolidate learning
More likely to learn something taught by your peer than a lecturer/textbook
Builds communication and teamwork skills for future career
Required to explain things in a way patients can understand
Can you give us an example of a time you’ve had to teach somebody something?
School- chemistry is very easy for me to learn as I’m interested in it, I have friends who struggle with it.
Before exams I usually spend a couple of hours in a library with them and we’ll go through the spec and summarise every topic.
Tests my own understanding of topics as even if I sometimes understand them in my head I don’t necessarily understand them well enough to explain.
I enjoy doing it because it helps them to succeed as well as helping me to consolidate my knowledge so I have the benefit of helping friends while studying myself
How will you feel going from the top of your class to being average?
I enjoy the challenge- I would rather surround myself with people more intelligent as it means I have to strive to be better and improve
Talk me through what happens once you graduate?
After graduation, the first thing you have to do is apply for FY jobs at hospitals. At the moment graduates are ranked by medical schools and places in FY jobs are given out in this order. You then work for two years in this job before applying for specialist training. Then if you train as a GP you have 3 more years as a registrar before you are a qualified GP and can then go and work as a salaried GP or later a GP partner. If you instead decide to train as a hospital specialist you will have to instead to 5 years of training as a registrar before you sit your fellowship exams and qualify as a consultant. From there you can become a more senior consultant and apply for jobs in hospital leadership or for a larger medical trust.
