Medical schools: the makings of a liar

On starting medical school we are told that we are joining an esteemed profession which requires certain moral and ethical standards and that we are expected to maintain these standards from day one as a medical student.

Why then do medical schools force us into doing the absolute opposite and virtually encourage us to be dishonest?

‘100% attendance is required and expected from all students. Students may miss up to 20% of any attachment for reasons beyond their own control. Any absence must be notified to the main office and to your unit lead, and any sickness lasting longer than five days requires a general practitioner's sick note.’

You should note that the word absence seems to be irretrievably linked with illness and my question to you all is, what exactly constitutes a reason that is ‘beyond your control?’

There are many situations in which students, quite ‘reasonably,’ require time off. Anecdotally these include christenings, serious family illness and operations, weddings, and funerals. And indeed the odd ‘washing machine flooding entire house and repair man can only come at a certain time.’

Yet somehow if you know ahead of time that you will need to be absent, and inform the required authorities, what was a perfectly reasonable and valid reason is suddenly converted into an avoidable one. Students are denied permission or alternatively given wholly insufficient time off.

This attitude drives students to become dishonest. We learn that if we request permission from the authorities it will be denied, and so our behaviour is modified so that we lie and say we are ill, or simply don't tell anyone, don't show up, and often are not missed anyway.

No one argues with the fact that medical students need to undergo extensive training in order to qualify as doctors and as …