Dear Sir
With less time available for extracurricular activities and a growing focus towards career goals, do medical students still possess the individual characteristics which made them ideal candidates at the point of application?
Some ideas suggest that since commencing their training, students are continuously moulded. Unlike standardised protocols, teaching subjective arts such as history taking offers institutions the opportunity to shape their students around their particular values. This has been demonstrated in the US, where the teaching of a patient-centred approach at nine medical schools was dependent on the institution’s principles (Haidet et al. Citation2006).
In the preclinical phase, there is a psychological emphasis on developing a supportive network and establishing the foundations of teamwork. This poses as an opportunity for personality traits to thrive, however as students are given increased professional responsibilities, it is understandable that there could be a shift in focus. This transition from a learning environment to a workplace setting may therefore contribute to the perceived loss of individuality.
Research has confirmed that when introduced to the clinical phase, students often found that their individuality was not valued (Seabrook Citation2004). Some felt forced to meet their superiors’ expectations whereas others felt like a nuisance due to their lack of expertise; both felt their personal characteristics were overlooked.
Although homogenisation is mainly perceived as a negative consequence, it also considered to have an important regulatory role. The General Medical Council set necessary requirements which aim to guarantee competency and patient safety. Understandably, these rules are constricting and inflexible. Some may consider their individuality to be lost when adhering to the expectations, however without standardised approaches, the medical workforce and consequently the service offered to the community, could be compromised. Is it possible to be an autonomous, individual physician with the constricting factors mentioned above?
Homogeny is a subjective concept. There is a fine line between students becoming homogenous and modifying themselves to fulfil requirements. What some may perceive to be a loss of individuality, others may merely consider as necessary adjustments towards their career.
However, in order to work in a clinical environment, the modification of an individual’s behaviour appears as an inevitable route for students. Homogenisation is becoming increasingly intrinsic in the generation of tomorrow’s doctors, but just how far will this all go?
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.
References
- Haidet P, Kelly PA, Bentley S, Blatt B, Chou CL, Fortin AH VIth, Gordon G, Gracey C, Harrell H, Hatem DS, et al. Not the same everywhere. Patient-centered learning environments at nine medical schools. J Gen Intern Med 2006;21(5):405–409
- Seabrook MA. Clinical students’ initial reports of the educational climate in a single medical school. Med Educ 2004;38(6):659–69