Journal of Postgraduate Medicine
 Open access journal indexed with Index Medicus & ISI's SCI  
Users online: 9870  
Home | Subscribe | Feedback | Login 
About Latest Articles Back-Issues Articlesmenu-bullet Search Instructions Online Submission Subscribe Etcetera Contact
 
  NAVIGATE Here 
  Search
 
 :: Next article
 :: Previous article 
 :: Table of Contents
  
 RESOURCE Links
 ::  Similar in PUBMED
 ::  Search Pubmed for
 ::  Search in Google Scholar for
 ::  Article in PDF (59 KB)
 ::  Citation Manager
 ::  Access Statistics
 ::  Reader Comments
 ::  Email Alert *
 ::  Add to My List *
* Registration required (free) 

  IN THIS Article
 ::  Acknowledgment
 ::  References

 Article Access Statistics
    Viewed3833    
    Printed149    
    Emailed1    
    PDF Downloaded182    
    Comments [Add]    

Recommend this journal


 


 
STUDENTS CORNER
Year : 2008  |  Volume : 54  |  Issue : 4  |  Page : 331

Why are students keeping away from wards?


Seth G.S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai - 400 012, India

Correspondence Address:
A C Dhamangaonkar
Seth G.S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai - 400 012
India
Login to access the Email id

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


PMID: 18953159

Rights and PermissionsRights and Permissions




How to cite this article:
Dhamangaonkar A C. Why are students keeping away from wards?. J Postgrad Med 2008;54:331

How to cite this URL:
Dhamangaonkar A C. Why are students keeping away from wards?. J Postgrad Med [serial online] 2008 [cited 2023 Jun 10];54:331. Available from: https://www.jpgmonline.com/text.asp?2008/54/4/331/43522


Much is being spoken about the undergraduate students and interns seemingly less enthusiastic about their 'ward postings'. They seem to abstain from wards more often, seem more interested in reading books in the library or even while in the wards and seem less inclined to attend 'ward rounds'. It is known that assessment scheme tends to drive student-learning [1] and the type of assessment can influence learning. [2] The assessment at graduation (MBBS) examination is done on the basis of theory and practical examination. The latter is still largely based on assessment of clinical skills. The scope of theory examinations is restricted to testing knowledge of a few important topics that are considered to be 'the bare essentials and basics' to be known by a medical graduate. Many new concepts in medicine have yet to find a place in the University syllabus. These make the MBBS exams quite predictable. In contrast, the postgraduate (PG) entrance examination is based on answering multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Most students today aspire to become specialists and hence, right from early days in the medical college, try to orient their studies to match the assessment pattern of PG entrance examinations.

The MCQ-based PG entrance exams have no fixed syllabus. Most of these examinations, unfortunately, test only theoretical knowledge (mainly factual information) and not the practical skills. In spite of several obvious drawbacks such as having a surface approach [3] and testing mainly memory [4] the MCQ system was preferred for the PG entrance exam as this system is inexpensive, easy to administer, reliable, objective, uniform, and reproducible and has ample scope to increase competition. These examinations include many topics, which are not covered well in the graduation exams such as genetics, inborn errors of metabolism, newer histological and cytochemical techniques, serological markers, newer monoclonal antibodies, transplantation medicine, immuno-suppressants, anesthetic medications and techniques and oncology. For entrance exams to be cracked, students need to learn and remember finer details. The students apparently think that they can learn these by spending more time in the library rather than by seeing more patients in the wards! I can't imagine an undergraduate (UG) student of the previous generation losing his/her PG seat due to not knowing what 'Best' Disease in Ophthalmology is! Gone are those days, when a student aspiring to specialize could study only that subject thoroughly to get the postgraduate seat. Students today, have to face entrance exams that include detailed MCQs drawn from 20 UG subjects. One may lose a PG seat if finer nuances are not read and understood before the exam! It is this format that is pulling students back from the wards to the library!

The students today are underestimating the importance of learning clinical skills. They should remember that it is these clinical skills that would help them throughout their professional career. The students should understand that both facets are important. The cases that one sees remain imprinted for a very long time. The details, of course, need a separate reading. This balancing act could be facilitated by broadening the scope of the UG syllabus. There is scope for improving the PG entrance exam model. As the outcome of MCQs depends on the type of MCQs framed, [5] the MCQs could be drafted to test practical knowledge and understanding [6] and the policymakers should consider including a step for testing clinical skills at these exams. The students' interest in ward work would be rekindled if the situation is reverted from being 'contradictory' to being 'complementary' between the two important evaluation stages in a medical student's life: (1) the graduation exam and (2) the PG entrance exam.


 :: Acknowledgment Top


The author wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Avinash N. Supe for continuing encouragement and his inputs in the manuscript.

 
 :: References Top

1.Schotanus JC. Student assessment and examination rules. Med Teach 1999;21:318-21.   Back to cited text no. 1    
2.Feletti GI, Smith EK. Modified essay questions: Are they worth the effort? Med Educ 1986;20:126-32.  Back to cited text no. 2  [PUBMED]  
3.Abraham RR, Upadhya S, Torke S, Ramnarayan K. Student perspectives of assessment by TEMM model in physiology. Adv Physiol Educ 2005;29:94-7.  Back to cited text no. 3  [PUBMED]  [FULLTEXT]
4.Davis MH, Harden RM. Association of Medical Education in Europe medical education guide no. 15 problem-based learning a practical guide. Med Teach 1999;21:130-40.   Back to cited text no. 4    
5.Seale JK, Chapman J, Davey C. The influence of assessments on students' motivation to learn in a therapy degree course. Med Educ 2000;34:614-21.  Back to cited text no. 5  [PUBMED]  [FULLTEXT]
6.Dugdale AE. The pathway MCQ: A method for teaching and testing deeper knowledge. Med Teach 1998;20:250-3.  Back to cited text no. 6    




 

Top
Print this article  Email this article
Previous article Next article
Online since 12th February '04
© 2004 - Journal of Postgraduate Medicine
Official Publication of the Staff Society of the Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India
Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow