Study medicine: Introduction to medical education
- The medical profession is a noble, incredibly rewarding, and respected career. Although it is exciting and dynamic, it is ultimately helping people and doing all that you can do to improve their health and well-being.
- The profession is also concerned with integrity and is committed to upholding a number of timeless values.
Medical profession: What are the advantages & benefits of becoming a Doctor?
- Higher-income: Salary, which varies according to experience, specialty, and setting, is an advantage for physicians. Most physicians enjoy above-average earnings.
- Job Stability: One advantage of becoming a doctor is job stability. As long as there are people, sickness, and disease in the world, doctors are needed. Doctors can start their own private practices instead of waiting for a medical facility to hire them. You just need yourself to start your practice.
- Serving mankind: Only a few professionals get the chance of helping the poor people at the root level. Doctors are one of the best at accomplishing this task.
- Respect & status in society: Status is another advantage that comes with being a doctor. Doctors are viewed as lifesavers and get a lot of respect in the community.
- Personal satisfaction: Physicians have a higher rate of satisfaction with their careers. Other factors that contribute to personal satisfaction may include research and training opportunities and the freedom to provide quality healthcare.
What is our syllabus?
- Many students who go abroad are not aware of the curriculum & syllabus they will follow. They are just clueless when questioned by parents or friends thus such situations might lead to mass confusion,
- Example: Regional Anatomy is taught only in 1st MBBS in India but in China & Russia…Systemic anatomy is taught in 1st year & Regional Anatomy is taught in 3rd year with clinical applications, students & parents who are not aware of this fact thus think that Regional Anatomy is not taught in China & Russia.
- Many people think that basic/preclinical subjects are unnecessary to be studied & we can just clinical subjects as we are going to be clinicians. It’s a gravel misconception among many medical students. You can clearly understand What is the use of studying basic medical subjects when we explain how the medical curriculum/syllabus is built.
- The medical syllabus is built like a house: The medical curriculum/syllabus is strategically built to provide knowledge that will be used in the clinical practice sequentially in a step-wise manner, therefore we compare the medical curriculum/syllabus to a house being built (Preclinical subjects/Basic sciences → Para-clinical subjects/ Bridging subjects → clinical sciences).
- The Foundation of the house is made up of Basic subjects like Anatomy, Physiology, biochemistry & so forth called pre-clinical subjects
- Walls of the house: Paraclinical subjects like microbiology & pharmacology
- The ceiling of the house: Pathology & pathophysiology (Paraclinical subjects)
- The roof of the house: clinical & surgical subjects
- Basic or Pre-clinical subjects serve as the foundation for the house & it’s quite obvious that when your foundation is weak then the house collapses.
- 1st to 3rd years are dedicated for the pre & Paraclinical subjects
- The 4th to 6th years are dedicated to the clinical/surgical subjects and Where hands-on training in Hospitals is conducted to gain practical knowledge.
- To diagnose & treat a disease we should follow the algorithm based on the “house of medicine”:
- Knowledge in Anatomy + physiology of organ/system to know normal structure & functionà
- Knowledge in Pathology to understand what structure & function are abnormal
- Knowledge in Clinical skills/Radio-lab& instrumental Dx/Microbiology are needed for Diagnosisà
- Knowledge in Pharmacology & surgery is needed for treatments.
What subjects are taught at medical schools?
Preclinical subjects | ||
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Subject | What is studied? | |
1. Anatomy | Study of the structure of the body and the relations of its parts on the gross level. This course will use a cadaver or models for dissection purposes. | |
2. Histology | Study of the structure of cells and tissues on the microscopic level. | |
3. Embryology | Study of human development from conception till birth. | |
4. Physiology | Study of the function of the human body & subparts (cells, organs & systems) | |
5. Biochemistry | Study of chemistry & chemical processes of cells, tissues, and organs of the body. | |
6. Genetics | Study of genetic apparatus, functions & their disorders. | |
Paraclinical subjects | ||
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Subject | What is studied? | |
7. Microbiology | Science of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses& parasites & their effects on humans | |
8. Immunology | Science of how humans combat disease | |
9. Pathology/
Pathophysiology |
Science of disease, especially changes in structure and function, causing or caused by disease. | |
10. Pharmacology | Science of medications. | |
11. Forensic medicine | Science of establishing the causes of injury or death, changes in the body after death, applying medical knowledge in the investigation of crime & law. | |
12. Preventive & social medicine | Science of prevention of diseases and promotion of health at a community level. This is a vast field that consists of different subjects like epidemiology, biostatistics &, etc.
NB; According to the new syllabus of India PSM is integrated with clinical subjects therefore considered as clinical subject |
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Clinical subjects | ||
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Subject | What is studied? | |
13. Internal Medicine | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adulthood diseases | |
14. Surgery | Study of operative and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a disease or trauma. | |
15. Obstetrics | Study concerned with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period & prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of related disorders | |
16. Gynaecology | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that affect women and female reproductive organs | |
17. Paediatrics | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood diseases | |
18. Orthopaedics | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases musculoskeletal system & musculoskeletal trauma | |
19. Radiology | Radiodiagnosis: use of radiological modalities to diagnose the diseases & conditions
Radiotherapy: use of various radiations in the therapy of the diseases & conditions |
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20. Dermatology | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of skin diseases | |
21. Ophthalmology | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of eye diseases | |
22. Otolaryngology (ENT) | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of ear, nose & throat | |
23. Oncology | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of tumors | |
24. Anaesthesiology | Study of anesthesia & pain management around surgery | |
25. Emergency medicine | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases | |
26. Psychiatry | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental diseases | |
27. Geriatrics | Study of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in old age |
- NB:
- Division of subjects into pre or para or clinical subjects is subjective (Example: PSM is a paraclinical subject however it’s considered to be a clinical one in India Now!)
- There are some extra subjects Included depending on the MBBS/MD curricula of various countries/universities
1. Such subjects might be a sub-topic of the main subjects given above in the table or | Urology is taught as a separate subject in Russia which is a sub-topic of surgery in India
Neurology is taught as a separate subject in Russia which is a sub-topic of Medicine in India |
2. They might be a related subject of the main subjects given above in the table or | Physiotherapy is taught as a separate subject in Russia
Nursing therapy & surgery are is taught as a separate subject in Russia Sports medicine & rehabilitation medicine are taught as a separate subject in Russia & China |
3. They might be completely different subjects taught as per the specific curriculum | Ethics/Philosophy, Nutrition & Stomatology |
Also read:
- New Indian MBBS syllabus (CBME 2019)
- Russian medical curriculum.syllabus
- Chinese Medical curriculum/syllabus
Also Read:
- Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME): Concepts & Challenges
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