Rapid Responses to:
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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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applications to medical school
- susanne stevens, none (18 January 2003)
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down-profesionalization
- Capi Wever (18 January 2003)
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Medical dynasties (Letters)
- Jacqueline Pooler (23 January 2003)
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susanne stevens, researcher cardiff cf24 3p, none
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Whilst agreeing with the proposals made by the authors Katona et al one can only wonder how fast things are changing when the following can be published in the Journal of the Association for Analytical Psychotherapy by the recent ex chair of the psychotherapy division of the College of Psychiatrists (edited by an employee of the Tavistock). This group are involved with the selection and training of students. Perhaps one problem is that trainers and tutors themselves tend to come from a narrow pool, often straight from school to college to medical school to practice, without having much knowledge or direct experience of the diversity of wider society. One medical therapist has declared his unwillingness to work with those of 'lower intellectual capacity' than himself - yet how would he survive outside his own professional world? NHS users have little choice in finding a practitioner who matches their needs when the old 'them and us' attitudes are so persistent that students can be socialised into a culture whereby they can, allegedly, make 'jokes' such as the following. I find the reason given for 'celebrating' the ability to tolerate this implausable. A useful question is - would I want anayone I care about to be treated by this or that doctor/practitioner. (Extract from the JoAPP Vol 14 No 2 2000) 'Balint groups for junior psychiatrists are one way to legitimise doctors' needs to look at their own stories when faced with the emotional impact of their work. In one such group it emmerged that as the junior doctors were lunching together someone had proposed a competition for the most absurd form of self harm encountered that six months, ranging from attempting to gas oneself in an open cabriolet, to hanging oneself using the emergency bell pull. While this was undoubtedly disrespectful to the patients concerned it also expressed the tremendous strain which young doctors expeeince in the face of their patients' death wishes.....' I wonder why 'one' needed to spell out these 'jokes' in such detail..If these young doctors had had any opportuntity of getting to know those they are entitled to practice on - as rounded human beings rather than a set of medical symptoms or problems - would this kind of imature and offensive behaviour become more a thing of the past? Competing interests: None declared |
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Capi Wever, ent sho netherlands
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The "cures" suggested in these texts all seek a solution in down-profesionalization of medicine, without critically considering the ramifications of this position. I consider this to be a serious flaw and liability. Why are those in the political domain failing time after time to take a truly diagnosing perspective on the problem we are facing, not only in the UK but rather in most western countries? Why are we not identifying the core problem and formulating a matching response? Lowering the threshold of medical schools seems to be the solution that is en vogue worldwide, but it is a shortsighted solution really. Is the knowledge, art, science and responsibility of medicine and physicians suitable for such crude down-grading of those that practice it? I would like to hear the answers of those that advocate such measures. C. C. Wever, MD PhD Competing interests: None declared |
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Jacqueline Pooler, Macmillan Nurse SRN SCM NDN BSc (Hons) Chester
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Whilst agreeing with Katona et al.in broadening acess to medical school, much more could be done in challenging the perceptions that the other pre- requisite for entry to medical school is that one's parents are doctors. I can remember quite clearly as a junior ward sister in the early 1980's being told by a senior consultant how ridiculous it was that his son, who wanted to study medicine had to achieve the required 'A' level grades, as he felt that with both parents in medicine, entry to medical school should have been automatic! Medical schools need to attract students from all sections of society, although the government's new plans for student grants may well make this more difficult to achieve. Competing interests: None declared |
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