- Why read?-—-If the reading is no fun- no point in pursuing medicine
Medicine is mainly Read read read, forget, read, forget, read, forget, read and then read some more……….
See patient, analyze facts and reports, diagnose treat and the same all over again and again, till it becomes second nature!!– You see a person walking and talking and start thinking this is the disease he has-totally-unfair and unhealthy …..yet kinkily entertaining for some
2. Why memorize?
Recall and rote learning still has a small role. knowing some facts and building on them slowly is the first step. More permanent learning is through imitation, observation and practice.
3. Why learn ?
Learning is to acquire a skill, a fact, an approach to a problem or just for fun!! medical students learn to be able to develop the know how of seeing, diagnosing and treating patients.
Students of different streams all learn their facts and skills for many reasons- for the betterment of their lives, for enhancing their earning ability or even for reasons best known to them- family, friends, society and so on and so forth.
Learning is a sum total of the use of all the human faculties- seeing, hearing, smelling, touching are the main ones. Taste may not be very applicable in medicine- although some may have tasted the liquor amnii !! or blood.
The conscious learning takes place all the time, by use of all the various resources available, and compiling of facts, findings and deductions made.
The subconscious learning too happens as they observe, process, dream and memorize both consciously and even at rest.
4. Why give exams?
Exams are the bane of any student appearing for them- till they actually become a part of the learning method- and approached in a way that they no longer cause fear and discomfort.
They do serve a purpose of crystalizing all that we know and that we still need to know.
5. Why is the learning so boring??
All learning is an active energetic process , that consumes the individual. Unless you jump in and enter the depths – you cannot learn to enjoy the process. acquiring of facts can be boring, but connecting the dots and dashes and finally creating a picture can get to be exciting.
6. Where to read from???
This is one tough one– no one ever knows best- changes are rapid, and the skill to know which facts and figures are likely to change and then focus on those, while retaining the already known ones that tend to change less.
7. Who to learn from???
Simple- everything, everyone-who is interested to show, teach, define. An example for medical students is- all levels of health care personnel- senior staff, junior staff, nursing staff, paramedics, support staff -cleaners ………..adds dimensions !!!
8. How to stay entertained?
This is totally individual and each learner knows that
Curiosity- keeping it alive -unlike popular belief-” Curiosity does not kill the cat”
Moreover- “Ignorance is not bliss” in many situations- can dig the grave for many
9. What is original?? What is new??
You tubes, presentations, models , books, articles, journals!
Recreating and building on the old to enhance it further and see from another angle-old is gold- but staying static is copper and iron rot!!
10.What should we keep and what should we discard???
Another one that is a choice- individual and based on interest, leaning ability, learning style and the pace.
