Core Values and Attributes
Medical Teacher vs. Student
Abstract
Science is knowledge and it needs to be dispersed and disseminated in order to translate into an improved quality of life for the local, regional and global community. The responsibility of conveying and decoding the language of medical science into the minds of learners falls upon the shoulders of medical educators.
Medical students are representatives of nation and plays an important role in promoting health of a country. There are some values to be followed by health care students to become exemplary professionals and set a healthy tradition for prosperity of Pakistan.
The expectations from the 21st century teacher & student of medicine are often too many and unrealistic, but they constantly strive towards fulfilling their roles. This article pays a tribute to all such persons along with highlighting some of their unique characteristics.
Introduction
“The best teachers don’t give you the answers, they just point the way & let you make your own choices, your own mistakes. That way you get all the glory and you DESERVE it”.
Mr. Schuester/..
Teaching is a means of offering a unique, definite, and essential social service through specialized training. This service is in the form of facilitation of learning, based on the beliefs, needs, and practices of each community and each individual .The first principle of true teaching is that nothing can be taught. Rather, it has to be fetched out and developed from within the learner; and this is the art of a true teacher. The medical teacher is not just an instructor or a task master; he/she is a helper and a guide who fits into many different roles; all at the same time.
In ISLAM there is only one teacher who has laid out the groundwork for the spiritual education of mankind, by the Grace of ALLAH ALMIGHTY. He was the perfect teacher not only to the Muslims but also to all mankind.
Roles of an Ideal Medical Teacher
The master of good communication:
Effective communication is the core of a teacher-student or doctor-patient relationship. It is not an option; rather it is an obligation to the effective practice of medicine. The medical teacher who establishes open communication in the learning system is usually able to achieve most of the learning goals in completeness. The most important factor in this regard is speak with patience and soft tone. A wordy lecture creates boredom and confusion in minds of students.
Prophet MUHAMMAD PBUH was methodical in his teaching methods and never rushed his lessons. According to Hazrat AISHA R.A:
“Spoke in such a way that if one were to count his words, they could be counted”
(Al-Bukhari)
The facilitator of group learning:
The teacher attends to issues of importance like equal participation of all group members, development of critical thinking, reflection, time management and encouragement of constructive feedback .The tutor must act as a facilitator rather than a source of linear information and fitting into this role requires some initial training or senior peer guidance. Tutors must clarify local expectations and practical details.
“I am not a teacher, but an awakener.”
(Robert frost)
The trainer of clinical skills:
The professional responsibilities of a medical educator are usually grounded in the areas of teaching, research and practice aimed at improving the quality of health care systems. The teaching methods in clinical skills are different from the straight forward didactic lectures. The best strategic approach in this area would be small group learning, student centered interactive sessions, case based scenarios, role playing and use of patient volunteers etc. to facilitate student training. An effective tutor must create a favorable climate for acquisition of clinical skills in terms of providing a stress free environment where students can practice without fear of embarrassment and negative criticism.
The designer of interesting learning:
A medical educator has to impart huge loads of ever evolving scientific information to a large number of students having low and high ability of understanding. The teaching design must be interesting. Best method for this is to define what is ‘core’ (relevant) and ‘non- core’ (wider aspects of topic) in the curriculum. This will highlight useful information and at the same time prevent boring, confusing or exhausting the learners. It can be rightfully said that a medical teacher is a performer whose role is to entrance his audience in the educational realm.
“The man who can make hard things easy, is the educator” (Ralph Emerson)
The eager learner:
The ideal medical teacher is not stagnant and values the growth of intellect and perception. He /she learns the ways to improve skills from students and peers. This motivation is internal rather than a departmental requirement. We can say the ideal medical teacher is an eager lifelong learner. He/she is highly knowledgeable and maintains that core level of knowledge life-long. To achieve this expertise, one needs to be energetic, enthusiastic, have a good memory power and stay “up to date” regardless of age.
The world of knowledge takes a crazy turn when teachers themselves are taught to learn.
(Bertolt Brecht)
The ardent researcher:
A good teacher continually researches and experiments with teaching strategies to find out the best way to reach for the students. He/she is flexible; in keeping what works and discarding what doesn’t. The best way to learn what’s really working in teaching is to provide sufficient opportunity for constructive feedback from peers and students. The watching of one’s own lecturing session can also provide opportunity for self-critique.
“He who does not research has nothing to teach”
(Chinese proverb)
Attributes of an Ideal Medical Student
Ideal does not have a clear definition or any fixed standards as different people can be ideal in different situations and scenarios. Every student has its own limitations and its own capabilities so it is very much important not to define an ideal student by some standards but each student should have its own standard on which he/she can be ideal.
Here are some core values that makes any student successful in any field.
Listen carefully and attentively
This is the very basic rule in professional studies. There is no learning if nobody is listening. There is a huge difference between listening and hearing. Hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Here I want to cite how companions of PBUH listen to HIM
“When HE (PBUH) spoke, HIS listeners would become silent with their heads bowed down , as if birds were perched on their heads. Only when HE stopped taking, did they begin to talk”
(Al-Tirmizi)
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is focused, careful analysis of something to better understand it. When people speak of “left brain” activity, they are usually referring to critical thinking. Here are some of the main critical-thinking abilities.
Analyzing is breaking something down into its parts, examining each part, and noting how the parts fit together
Comparing and contrasting is pointing out the similarities and differences between two or more subjects.
Problem solving is analyzing the causes and effects of a problem and finding a way to stop the causes or the effects.
Evaluating is deciding on the worth of something by comparing it against an accepted standard of value.
Creative Thinking
Creative thinking is expansive, open-ended invention and discovery of possibilities. When people speak of “right brain” activity, they most often mean creative thinking. Here are some of the more common creative thinking abilities:
Brainstorming ideas involves asking a question and rapidly listing all answers, even those that are far-fetched, impractical, or impossible.
Imagining ideas involves reaching into the unknown and impossible, perhaps idly or with great focus, as Einstein did with his thought experiments.
Innovating is creating something that hasn’t existed before, whether an object, a procedure, or an idea.
Questioning actively reaches into what is unknown to make it known, seeking information or a new way to do something.
Work collaboratively with colleagues
Student Doctors must possess the ability to work effectively as a member of a healthcare team, recognizing and respecting the skills and attributes of other professions and of patients. They must co-operate with their colleagues in the best interest of patients. This is essential to patient safety and the effective running of a clinical service.
Communicating
Analyzing the situation means thinking about the subject, purpose, sender, receiver, medium, and context of a message.
Choosing a medium involves deciding the most appropriate way to deliver a message, ranging from a face-to-face chat to a 400-page report.
Evaluating messages means deciding whether they are correct, complete, reliable, authoritative, and up-to-date.
Reading is decoding written words and images in order to understand what their originator is trying to communicate.
Speaking involves using spoken words, tone of voice, body language, gestures, facial expressions, and visual aids in order to convey ideas.
Turn taking means effectively switching from receiving ideas to providing ideas, back and forth between those in the communication situation
References
https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/FAQ/what-are-learning-skills
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/active-listening-seven-ways-to-improve-students-listening-skills/
https://www.taolearn.com/articles/article32.pdf
http://www.preservearticles.com/201105036212
http://www.premedlife.com/feature-articles/5-super-relevant-tedmed-every-premed-should-see-5150/
Article By: Dr Hafiza Aroofa
The University of Faisalabad, Pakistan
