Call for further clinical exposure
1
Call for further clinical exposure Neel Sharma, Barts and the London School of Medicine, London, UK ‘For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them’ Aristole 384BC-322BC A s a junior doctor I often reflect on my undergraduate days. I sometimes question whether my training adequately prepared me for clinical practice. Of course there is no substitute for on-the-job training, and I guess that this most definitely applies to all trades. However, I do feel that students have limited clinical exposure despite ward-based teaching, out-patient clinic attendance and student-selected components. Two years into the NHS hierarchy and do I see myself as a confident clinician? My answer is, unfortunately, no. So what would have eased the transition? Obviously there is no easy answer. But what I feel would have helped would have been an increased exposure to clinical competencies and procedural skills. And I’m not talking about venepuncture or cannulation, but the more complex skills of line and chest drain insertion as well as lumbar punc- ture. Additional experience in peri-arrest to full-arrest situations would also have been most welcome. We are all capable of learning the steps involved in such procedures, but there is no better way of learning than by simply doing. Of course with the intro- duction of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) such areas are part of the enforced curriculum, and without certified evidence it is difficult to progress. But, I’m sure readers out there all agree that the initial days on the wards are def- initely a shock to the system. Adjusting to the various roles of an administrator as well as a doctor isn’t easy. So why don’t medical schools relieve the burden? I’m sure it would help to pave the way for not only a more productive but more confident workforce. Corresponding author’s contact details: N Sharma, Homerton University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. E-mail: neel_sharma1@ hotmail.com Letter to the editor Ó Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010. THE CLINICAL TEACHER 2010; 7: 73 73
-
Upload
neel-sharma -
Category
Documents
-
view
214 -
download
0
Transcript of Call for further clinical exposure
Call for further clinicalexposureNeel Sharma, Barts and the London School of Medicine, London, UK
‘For the things we have to learnbefore we can do them, we learn bydoing them’ Aristole 384BC-322BC
As a junior doctor I oftenreflect on my undergraduatedays. I sometimes question
whether my training adequatelyprepared me for clinical practice.Of course there is no substitute foron-the-job training, and I guessthat this most definitely applies toall trades. However, I do feel thatstudents have limited clinicalexposure despite ward-basedteaching, out-patient clinicattendance and student-selectedcomponents. Two years into the
NHS hierarchy and do I see myselfas a confident clinician? My answeris, unfortunately, no. So whatwould have eased the transition?Obviously there is no easy answer.But what I feel would have helpedwould have been an increasedexposure to clinical competenciesand procedural skills. And I’m nottalking about venepuncture orcannulation, but the more complexskills of line and chest draininsertion as well as lumbar punc-ture. Additional experience inperi-arrest to full-arrest situationswould also have been mostwelcome. We are all capable oflearning the steps involved in such
procedures, but there is no betterway of learning than by simplydoing. Of course with the intro-duction of Modernising MedicalCareers (MMC) such areas are partof the enforced curriculum, andwithout certified evidence it isdifficult to progress. But, I’m surereaders out there all agree that theinitial days on the wards are def-initely a shock to the system.Adjusting to the various roles of anadministrator as well as a doctorisn’t easy. So why don’t medicalschools relieve the burden? I’msure it would help to pave the wayfor not only a more productive butmore confident workforce.
Corresponding author’s contact details: N Sharma, Homerton University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
Letter to theeditor
� Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010. THE CLINICAL TEACHER 2010; 7: 73 73
