Intended for healthcare professionals

Views And Reviews

Ensuring our future doctors are resilient

BMJ 2018; 362 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2877 (Published 04 July 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;362:k2877

Might selection be important too?

In addition to the suggestions the authors make aimed at improving drs reslience, might selection of students also be important? I don't think we yet have it right.

We persist in selecting our drs based on performance in A levels. These test a type of cleverness; the ability to work alone to solve the problems and questions posed by the exam paper. They are taken as a valid surrogate measure for all sorts of other skills needed by a dr.

Nowadays in addition to data interpretation and required knowldege drs must be able to work as part of a team, communicate well, handle emotionally charged situations and accept their own shortcomings. The perfectionist traits and personality types of those performing well in A level may not be suitable. Some get ill due to it.

I thought when I did my training the academic challenges were not great; it was more about working diligently and steadily, not about brain power. Everything was covered very superficially before rushing on to the next topic. I bet with 3 C's in A level one could tackle it. Until we are able to select those with the personality traits that make them more resilient, why not set an academic floor and pick the names out of a hat? Who will be the first medical school brave enough?

Competing interests: No competing interests

05 July 2018
Peter W Ward
GP
Central Gateshead Medical Group
Gateshead Health Centre, NE8 1NB