Getting students from poorer backgrounds into medical school is a laudable goal and if they have the ability and deemed to have the 'right qualities' worthy of becoming a future doctor, I do believe they should equal chance with more affluent candidates at winning a place at medical school.
Leaving arguments about better schooling, supportive home of educated, middle class parents and the gem of private tuition, I am bewildered by the attitudes of some of my current teachers which perpetuate the advantage of the middle classes.*
Just one example. Follow up a few patients for two years. Again, I agree with this I see the value of going into patient's homes, getting to know them, seeing things from their point of view. Yet why do all the patients have to be so far away from our university city? Our GP tutor told us "we'd be getting very familiar with the bus route to this town" and chuckled to himself. The half of my group that have cars smiled. It is two buses actually to get there and the second one is over an hour's duration. I find to keep on top of things I do six hours of private study plus lecture attendance, six days a week. Such wasted time commuting is really felt and missed! There are plenty of deprived inner and outer city areas in our university city full of people we could visit instead.
The community lecturers seem to assume we are a homogenous group, us med students. Of course we're all middle class and live in leafy suburbs, have been privately educated and have never even seen an area of inner city deprivation. They also seem to assume any financial trouble, caused by excess drinking of course (what else) and our parents from our perfect 2.4 families will be able to bail us out. Laughing at my lunchbox with my lunch in it! "
But you don't really have to worry about money do you? Not like me e" She could take tips from me on saving money and then I wouldn't have to hear how poor she is. One does have to take responsibility for their own spending, whatever class they are.
I wish they would assume less and ask more. Not give us nonsense assignments of going on buses to outer city areas. (My group, not realising this was a requirement essential to future understanding of our patient's lives, all chipped in to get a taxi, to the disappointment of the session leader).
I did wonder earlier if the med school was 'testing us' to see how we would handle the pressure and juggling so many assignments that they throw at us. Lectures, Patient visits, studying, reflection, hospital visits, (you don't need sleep right?) and of course its only going to get worse when you're a doctor, this is nothing, get a grip!)
I now think they are far too disorganised to have even conceptualised such a notion! Yes, I can handle it but I see that it could be made easier for us.
I'm loving it actually, despite the tone of this post! Reading up on eye disorders tonight :D
*
No, I'm not a Marxist, socialist or a working class person. I don't hate the rich, simply illustrating a point.
Leaving arguments about better schooling, supportive home of educated, middle class parents and the gem of private tuition, I am bewildered by the attitudes of some of my current teachers which perpetuate the advantage of the middle classes.*
Just one example. Follow up a few patients for two years. Again, I agree with this I see the value of going into patient's homes, getting to know them, seeing things from their point of view. Yet why do all the patients have to be so far away from our university city? Our GP tutor told us "we'd be getting very familiar with the bus route to this town" and chuckled to himself. The half of my group that have cars smiled. It is two buses actually to get there and the second one is over an hour's duration. I find to keep on top of things I do six hours of private study plus lecture attendance, six days a week. Such wasted time commuting is really felt and missed! There are plenty of deprived inner and outer city areas in our university city full of people we could visit instead.
The community lecturers seem to assume we are a homogenous group, us med students. Of course we're all middle class and live in leafy suburbs, have been privately educated and have never even seen an area of inner city deprivation. They also seem to assume any financial trouble, caused by excess drinking of course (what else) and our parents from our perfect 2.4 families will be able to bail us out. Laughing at my lunchbox with my lunch in it! " But you don't really have to worry about money do you? Not like me e" She could take tips from me on saving money and then I wouldn't have to hear how poor she is. One does have to take responsibility for their own spending, whatever class they are.
I wish they would assume less and ask more. Not give us nonsense assignments of going on buses to outer city areas. (My group, not realising this was a requirement essential to future understanding of our patient's lives, all chipped in to get a taxi, to the disappointment of the session leader).
I did wonder earlier if the med school was 'testing us' to see how we would handle the pressure and juggling so many assignments that they throw at us. Lectures, Patient visits, studying, reflection, hospital visits, (you don't need sleep right?) and of course its only going to get worse when you're a doctor, this is nothing, get a grip!)
I now think they are far too disorganised to have even conceptualised such a notion! Yes, I can handle it but I see that it could be made easier for us.
I'm loving it actually, despite the tone of this post! Reading up on eye disorders tonight :D
* No, I'm not a Marxist, socialist or a working class person. I don't hate the rich, simply illustrating a point.