Letters to the Editor
Whilst intercalating has the potential to increase interest in academic medicine, it is certainly not the only influencing factor. Other avenues for promoting a career in academia should be explored, notably developing student-run societies, increasing funding for research-related activities, incorporating key research methodologies into the medical curriculum, and highlighting academic career pathways early on in medical school. It is hoped that such methods will reinvigorate interest in academic medicine amongst the upcoming generations. Akif Malik, Mohammed U. Halim & Mohammad A. Ali, Medical Sciences Division, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
inappropriate following our survey. However, our study does demonstrate a significantly positive correlation between completing an intercalated degree and research involvement amongst students. Whilst university attitude may well be an influencing factor in determining future interest in academia, this would not have confounded our results, given that they were all derived from a single institution. Once again, further research to clarify both of these areas of uncertainty would be most informative. We thoroughly support the suggestions that other methods of promoting and stimulating interest in academia are crucial in the revival of interest in academic medicine. We maintain, however, that overall our results indicate an important role for intercalated degrees in this process.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest.
Alexandra Phillips, Shobhit Saxena, Aranghan Lingham, Imen Zoubir, Helen Graham, King’s College London School of Medicine, Sherman Education Centre, Guy’s Campus, London, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
References
Reference
Phillips A, Saxena S, Lingham A, Zoubir I, Graham H. 2014. The effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine. Med Teach 36(1):87. Pusey C, Thakker R. 2005. Is there a future for academic medicine in the UK? Hosp Med 66(4):198–199.
Phillips A, Saxena S, Lingham A, Zoubir I, Graham H. 2014. The effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine. Med Teach 36(1):87–87.
Response to letter regarding ‘‘The effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine’’
The highs and lows of general practice – Using highly abnormal clinical findings and investigation results in general practice training
Dear Sir Dear Sir We are grateful for this thoughtful and perceptive response to our original letter describing the effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine (Phillips et al 2014). The concerns raised in this response with regards to our survey are undoubtedly valid. Indeed, an inference that there is an enduring interest in academic medicine based upon application to the Academic Foundation Programme could perhaps be flawed. Whilst our primary outcome was in fact the pursuit of a career in academic medicine, as opposed to subsequent success in this field, we agree that such information would be both interesting and helpful. This would be a relevant avenue for further, long-term research, and unfortunately was beyond the scope of our small-scale student led study. We also acknowledge and accept the point that the establishment of a direct causal link between intercalation and involvement in research as a clinician may be
Discussion of clinical cases is a core educational activity of general practice training. Cases may be directed by specific trainee learning needs; trainer interest and experience; random case analysis; or required curriculum objectives. Cases should be interesting, relevant, instructive and challenging in order for learning to be effective. Highly abnormal clinical findings and investigation results have previously been used in the education of physician trainees (Rosenblum 2010). As a regional general practice training provider, we have developed a workshop-based, trainee-led teaching activity using clinical case studies centred on highly abnormal clinical findings or investigation results from the general practice setting. Trainees are invited to identify any patients with extreme findings, e.g. high blood pressure, or test results, e.g. low haemoglobin, over the course of each six month training term, and document them on a whiteboard at each monthly workshop. Only patients seen in the ambulatory care setting are included. At the end of each term, two trainees are selected to prepare a 15-min
645
Copyright of Medical Teacher is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Whilst intercalating has the potential to increase interest in academic medicine, it is certainly not the only influencing factor. Other avenues for promoting a career in academia should be explored, notably developing student-run societies, increasing funding for research-related activities, incorporating key research methodologies into the medical curriculum, and highlighting academic career pathways early on in medical school. It is hoped that such methods will reinvigorate interest in academic medicine amongst the upcoming generations. Akif Malik, Mohammed U. Halim & Mohammad A. Ali, Medical Sciences Division, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
inappropriate following our survey. However, our study does demonstrate a significantly positive correlation between completing an intercalated degree and research involvement amongst students. Whilst university attitude may well be an influencing factor in determining future interest in academia, this would not have confounded our results, given that they were all derived from a single institution. Once again, further research to clarify both of these areas of uncertainty would be most informative. We thoroughly support the suggestions that other methods of promoting and stimulating interest in academia are crucial in the revival of interest in academic medicine. We maintain, however, that overall our results indicate an important role for intercalated degrees in this process.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest.
Alexandra Phillips, Shobhit Saxena, Aranghan Lingham, Imen Zoubir, Helen Graham, King’s College London School of Medicine, Sherman Education Centre, Guy’s Campus, London, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
References
Reference
Phillips A, Saxena S, Lingham A, Zoubir I, Graham H. 2014. The effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine. Med Teach 36(1):87. Pusey C, Thakker R. 2005. Is there a future for academic medicine in the UK? Hosp Med 66(4):198–199.
Phillips A, Saxena S, Lingham A, Zoubir I, Graham H. 2014. The effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine. Med Teach 36(1):87–87.
Response to letter regarding ‘‘The effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine’’
The highs and lows of general practice – Using highly abnormal clinical findings and investigation results in general practice training
Dear Sir Dear Sir We are grateful for this thoughtful and perceptive response to our original letter describing the effect of intercalated degrees on student involvement in academic medicine (Phillips et al 2014). The concerns raised in this response with regards to our survey are undoubtedly valid. Indeed, an inference that there is an enduring interest in academic medicine based upon application to the Academic Foundation Programme could perhaps be flawed. Whilst our primary outcome was in fact the pursuit of a career in academic medicine, as opposed to subsequent success in this field, we agree that such information would be both interesting and helpful. This would be a relevant avenue for further, long-term research, and unfortunately was beyond the scope of our small-scale student led study. We also acknowledge and accept the point that the establishment of a direct causal link between intercalation and involvement in research as a clinician may be
Discussion of clinical cases is a core educational activity of general practice training. Cases may be directed by specific trainee learning needs; trainer interest and experience; random case analysis; or required curriculum objectives. Cases should be interesting, relevant, instructive and challenging in order for learning to be effective. Highly abnormal clinical findings and investigation results have previously been used in the education of physician trainees (Rosenblum 2010). As a regional general practice training provider, we have developed a workshop-based, trainee-led teaching activity using clinical case studies centred on highly abnormal clinical findings or investigation results from the general practice setting. Trainees are invited to identify any patients with extreme findings, e.g. high blood pressure, or test results, e.g. low haemoglobin, over the course of each six month training term, and document them on a whiteboard at each monthly workshop. Only patients seen in the ambulatory care setting are included. At the end of each term, two trainees are selected to prepare a 15-min
645
Copyright of Medical Teacher is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
