A letter to the editor
1
26 BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION April 1978 Vol. 6 No. 2 THE I.U.B. IN PAKISTAN: A REPORT P. N. CAMPBELL Chairman of the I.U.B. Education Committee From 26th November 1977 to 3rd December 1977 I visited Pakistan with three colleagues from overseas, namely Dr. Gordon Barr from the University of Dundee, Dr. Peter Garcia-Webb from Perth and Professor Frank Vella from Saskatoon. The object of the visit was to discuss with the biochemists from the Medical Colleges in Pakistan ways in which the teaching of biochemistry to medical students might be improved. The visit was sponsored not only by I.U.B. but also by the British Council, WHO and The Government of Pakistan. The visitors did not know one another well before the visit so that there was no predetermined party line. Rather they were able to explain as individuals their various experiences as teachers in the hope that these might be found useful in Pakistan. The background of the visitors also varied, thus Barr is an expert in the Audio-Tutorial techniques developed in Dundee, Garcia-Webb is a medically qualified clinical biochemisty recommended by the Education Committee of IFCC, and Vella, also medically qualified, has had experience of teaching medical students in many countries and has been a regular contributor to "Biochemical Education". Our local host was Professor M. Ataur Rahman, Professor of Biochemistry at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi. He it was, who had originally in 1975, extended the invitation to me as a result of a piece I wrote in "Biochemical Education". We spent the first week in Karachi conducting a Refresher Course attended by 36 teachers and 12 postgraduate students from all over Pakistan. The Course started with brief statements concerning the present situation in the 15 Medical Colleges in Pakistan and then the visitors spoke of the position in their own countries. We then discussed the "Place of Biochemistry in the Medical Course". The visitors at this stage had the opportunity of visiting two Medical Colleges in Karachi so that they could get a feel of the situation on the spot. We then went on to discuss the Methodology of Teaching, Qualifica- tions of Teachers, Methods of Evaluation of Students, Provision of Text Books, Content of Lectures and the Practical Class Syllabus, and the Role of the MCQ Examination. The visitors also spent a morning at Karachi University. Each visitor also gave an informal talk on his research interests and there were parallel sessions during which Dr. Barr described his audio-tutorial methods. We decided at an early stage that it would be useful if we prepared a report so that the last afternoon was spent in a discussion of our main conclusions at that stage. A LETTER TO THE EDITOR [ From Dr. James Baggot Dear Sir, I am writing in response to the editorial (Biochem. Educ. 6, 1) in which Dr. Murray Saffran calls biochemists to a greater interest in education techniques. I have shared Dr. Saffran's experience of attending workshops at the National Medical Audio- visual Centre and being surrounded by nursing and allied health faculty. In addition, mine was one of the three papers which Dr. Saffran observed coming from the biochemical community and presented at the 1977 Federation meeting in Chicago. My paper was sponsored. So were the other two. The fact that every educational paper was given by a non-member of the American Society of Biological Chemists should suggest a reason for the inactivity of biochemists in educational endeavour: it doesn't pay professionally. John Henry Newman stated, "To The second week was spent on a tour of the country. During this time we visited Medical Colleges, Universities and Research Institutes in Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore. Naturally the visitors also occupied some time as tourists. A lengthy report has been prepared and has been sent to all the sponsoring bodies. It is difficult for me to summarize the report but perhaps just a few points may be useful. The idea of having four visitors with varied backgrounds was a good one and we and our host Ataur Rahman worked together very well. We were very fortunate in our hosts who opened their Colleges and Universities to us and responded to our penetrating questions. The British Council organised transport with their usual efficiency so that very little time was lost during the entire two weeks. We found the Medical Colleges grossly overburdened with students, with their resources stretched to the limit. It was not surprising that the morale of the teachers had suffered. Our object therefore was to try to show them how, even in these difficult circumstances, their teaching could be improved. The Course seemed to be the first occasion in which the biochemistry teachers had met together so that we felt at once that we had served a useful role as a catalyst. The Pakistani is an enthusiastic talker so that at times it was not easy to impose order on the structure of the Course but abundant good-will prevailed. Certainly for the visitors the two weeks were memorable. We are still struggling to do our best to ensure that action will follow the good resolutions, so that as a result of our visit the situation for the biochemists really will improve. So much must depend on their ability to help themselves or at least tell us what they would like us to do. 1 am, of course, an optimist and so I believe that our visit to Pakistan was useful and will have some lasting benefit, however small. I have offered the services of IUB to other countries but so far there are virtually no takers. One comes to realise that in order for a country to host a group like us it must be prepared to listen to suggestions and criticism and it seems that this is seldom the case. We so often hear that not enough is being done to help developing countries, true enough, but help is not a one way activity and i am beginning to believe that money is no longer the major problem. In short, if any group of biochemists would like to invite IUB to send a team such as went to Pakistan I believe I could arrange it. I should add that I intend that the membership of the teams should change and for this to happen 1 would be delighted also to hear from potential volunteers. discover and teach are distinct functions; they are also distinct gifts, and are not commonly found in the same person." If the biochemical community believes this at all it has not translated its belief into action. Until it does, and begins to recognize excellence in education as it does excellence in research, the situation will not improve. Work in biochemical education will continue to be performed by the rare individuals who have both gifts or by those who care about education more than they care about the traditional forms of professional recognition. Our problem, therefore, is not simply an intellectual one; it is sociological. James Baggott The Department of Biological Chemistry The Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital 230 Broad Street Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19102, U.S.A.
-
Upload
james-baggott -
Category
Documents
-
view
213 -
download
0
Transcript of A letter to the editor
26 BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION April 1978 Vol. 6 No. 2
THE I.U.B. IN PAKISTAN: A REPORT
P. N. CAMPBELL C h a i r m a n of the I . U . B . Educa t ion Commi t t ee
From 26th November 1977 to 3rd December 1977 I visited Pakistan with three colleagues from overseas, namely Dr. Gordon Barr from the University of Dundee, Dr. Peter Garcia-Webb from Perth and Professor Frank Vella from Saskatoon. The object of the visit was to discuss with the biochemists from the Medical Colleges in Pakistan ways in which the teaching of biochemistry to medical students might be improved. The visit was sponsored not only by I.U.B. but also by the British Council, WHO and The Government of Pakistan. The visitors did not know one another well before the visit so that there was no predetermined party line. Rather they were able to explain as individuals their various experiences as teachers in the hope that these might be found useful in Pakistan. The background of the visitors also varied, thus Barr is an expert in the Audio-Tutorial techniques developed in Dundee, Garcia-Webb is a medically qualified clinical biochemisty recommended by the Education Committee of IFCC, and Vella, also medically qualified, has had experience of teaching medical students in many countries and has been a regular contributor to "Biochemical Education".
Our local host was Professor M. Ataur Rahman, Professor of Biochemistry at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi. He it was, who had originally in 1975, extended the invitation to me as a result of a piece I wrote in "Biochemical Education". We spent the first week in Karachi conducting a Refresher Course attended by 36 teachers and 12 postgraduate students from all over Pakistan.
The Course started with brief statements concerning the present situation in the 15 Medical Colleges in Pakistan and then the visitors spoke of the position in their own countries. We then discussed the "Place of Biochemistry in the Medical Course". The visitors at this stage had the opportunity of visiting two Medical Colleges in Karachi so that they could get a feel of the situation on the spot. We then went on to discuss the Methodology of Teaching, Qualifica- tions of Teachers, Methods of Evaluation of Students, Provision of Text Books, Content of Lectures and the Practical Class Syllabus, and the Role of the MCQ Examination. The visitors also spent a morning at Karachi University. Each visitor also gave an informal talk on his research interests and there were parallel sessions during which Dr. Barr described his audio-tutorial methods. We decided at an early stage that it would be useful if we prepared a report so that the last afternoon was spent in a discussion of our main conclusions at that stage.
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR [
From Dr. James Baggot
Dear Sir, I am writing in response to the editorial (Biochem. Educ.
6, 1) in which Dr. Murray Saffran calls biochemists to a greater interest in education techniques. I have shared Dr. Saffran's experience of attending workshops at the National Medical Audio- visual Centre and being surrounded by nursing and allied health faculty. In addition, mine was one of the three papers which Dr. Saffran observed coming from the biochemical community and presented at the 1977 Federation meeting in Chicago. My paper was sponsored. So were the other two.
The fact that every educational paper was given by a non-member of the American Society of Biological Chemists should suggest a reason for the inactivity of biochemists in educational endeavour: it doesn't pay professionally. John Henry Newman stated, "To
The second week was spent on a tour of the country. During this time we visited Medical Colleges, Universities and Research Institutes in Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore. Naturally the visitors also occupied some time as tourists.
A lengthy report has been prepared and has been sent to all the sponsoring bodies. It is difficult for me to summarize the report but perhaps just a few points may be useful.
The idea of having four visitors with varied backgrounds was a good one and we and our host Ataur Rahman worked together very well. We were very fortunate in our hosts who opened their Colleges and Universities to us and responded to our penetrating questions. The British Council organised transport with their usual efficiency so that very little time was lost during the entire two weeks. We found the Medical Colleges grossly overburdened with students, with their resources stretched to the limit. It was not surprising that the morale of the teachers had suffered. Our object therefore was to try to show them how, even in these difficult circumstances, their teaching could be improved. The Course seemed to be the first occasion in which the biochemistry teachers had met together so that we felt at once that we had served a useful role as a catalyst. The Pakistani is an enthusiastic talker so that at times it was not easy to impose order on the structure of the Course but abundant good-will prevailed. Certainly for the visitors the two weeks were memorable. We are still struggling to do our best to ensure that action will follow the good resolutions, so that as a result of our visit the situation for the biochemists really will improve. So much must depend on their ability to help themselves or at least tell us what they would like us to do.
1 am, of course, an optimist and so I believe that our visit to Pakistan was useful and will have some lasting benefit, however small. I have offered the services of IUB to other countries but so far there are virtually no takers. One comes to realise that in order for a country to host a group like us it must be prepared to listen to suggestions and criticism and it seems that this is seldom the case. We so often hear that not enough is being done to help developing countries, true enough, but help is not a one way activity and i am beginning to believe that money is no longer the major problem.
In short, if any group of biochemists would like to invite IUB to send a team such as went to Pakistan I believe I could arrange it. I should add that I intend that the membership of the teams should change and for this to happen 1 would be delighted also to hear from potential volunteers.
discover and teach are distinct functions; they are also distinct gifts, and are not commonly found in the same person." If the biochemical community believes this at all it has not translated its belief into action. Until it does, and begins to recognize excellence in education as it does excellence in research, the situation will not improve. Work in biochemical education will continue to be performed by the rare individuals who have both gifts or by those who care about education more than they care about the traditional forms of professional recognition. Our problem, therefore, is not simply an intellectual one; it is sociological.
James Baggott The Department of Biological Chemistry The Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital 230 Broad Street Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19102, U.S.A.
