Grace Tan asks: “Are medical students being discouraged from attending scientific conferences?”
7 Aug, 09 | by julietwalker
One of the top five reasons given by medical students for not regularly attending meetings is “discouraged to attend by department and university,” a survey by the American Association of the History of Medicine, an academic society devoted to the history of medicine and all aspects of health, has found. This finding resonates with me because my attempts to seek authorised leave of absence to attend the British Neuroscience Association national meeting to present a poster were met with initial resistance from senior lecturers and clinicians. I was told that I would risk failing the “professional behaviour” domain of the module because of unacceptable attendance, despite me saying that I would do extra clinical work in the holidays to make up for time lost.
Hands-on clinical experience in hospitals is of utmost importance, but medical training needs to take into consideration the importance of experiencing other areas of knowledge and expertise and understanding the scope of the research in basic science that underpins many clinical advances.
After appealing I was allowed to attend. Although the quality of scientific knowledge was high and I did not understand everything, I benefited from the conference. I learnt of examples in which a single patient has hugely advanced scientific understanding and many examples in which basic science has led to new understanding of disease processes and new approaches to treatment. The conference helped to broaden my perspective and increase my enthusiasm for clinical medicine and for further research in the future. Should research and personal study always be sacrificed for hands-on clinical experience?
Grace Tan is a third year medical student, Newcastle
Dear Grace,
I agree with you completely on this issue. I have often faced this myself while asking for a leave to attend a meeting or conduct a research. Even when I had been selected to work at the BMJ as a Clegg scholar, I faced the same difficulty.
Moreover, not even once have I been given a good enough reason as to why I should not attend a meeting or take leave for research. So, I sometimes wonder if it is just the mindset of our teachers to say ‘no’. If they gave a valid reason, I am sure we are not that difficult to be convinced either.
Siddhartha Yadav
August 10th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Academic medicine is a highly competitive business. International meetings are where the latest info is bartered. Conferences are expensive; fee + travel + for non-salaried, loss of income.
Can’t have pushy med. students getting knowledge ahead of their elder & betters who do not attend conferences.Also the students get to know who are the world leaders in the subject.
Any student who asks permission to attend is naive; just take a day or two off for any suitable reason. If you see a Specialist nyou know, just keep your distance.
Alexander FRANKLIN
August 12th, 2009 at 1:42 am
Ladies,
The most probable explanation is that doctors and professors maintain the posture that they know everything that is worth knowing. When they get their MD and then board certification conventional wisdom requires that each utterance is absolute truth.
If you go to a conference, there is an increased risk you will ask a question or raise an issue they do not understand or to which they do not have a glib answer.
For the same sorts of reasons, they are highly annoyed when patients make any effort to learn on their own science relating to their symptoms or conditions.
Do you have any experiences inconsistent with the foregoing?
Ken Baker
Ken Baker
August 12th, 2009 at 2:33 am
almost same reason in developing world !!but if one can gather funds for the registration travel and lodging classes can be easily missed .who cares classes for few days.
apildev neupane
August 13th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Well done. Come to our Rural Clinical School, MIT CQ, in Australia
Gene
August 15th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Dear medical students,this is a problem in all medical schools,am about to conclude,after reading comments from other colleagues.
I think prior to this age one would not be able to become alecturer or a profesor if he or she does not concerntrate only on reading books. i feel medicne requires alot more exposure and only this can be attained through such congreses.
GULU UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF MEDICNE
UGANDA
DAN ELLY ANIKU
August 16th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Dear Grace,
I agree with your statement. It is because of conferences that medical students are able to acquire updated information and figure out new ways to utilize this information. Universities should allow students to attend especially if the students have worked on a project to present, just like in your case. Conferences for students are a means of broadening and expanding their knowledge of medicine, information that is not always written in textbooks. Clinical medicine is hands-on work and it should be taught and learned in a “hands-on” manner.
Amber Kalhoro
August 18th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Academic problems are the main challenges in front of the medical students.students should be courged in their medical research and it is the duty of the faculty members of the institions to provide the facilities and time for research work . this is the only way to learn more and more . struggle towards excellance. Begin with the End in mind.
Tanveer Hussain Siraj
October 12th, 2009 at 2:20 pm