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Training to be a doctor by distance/ correspondence learning?
Mountain_Runner
Posts: 1,927 Forum Member
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Hi
Does anyone know if its possible yet to do a degree in medicine or dentistry by correspondence course, postal university or open university yet? I hope its possible soon under government plans, as a lot of people are put off going to medical school because of the extortionate tuition fees, high chemistry grades required and it taking 5 years to qualify.
This could open up a career as a doctor or dentist to many people. The study and exams would still be tough so it would not be an academically easier way of becoming a doctor.
When it becomes possible to study medicine by distance learning, students will be able to study at their own pace 12 months of the year, removing medical school summer vacation could mean a Bachelor of medicine degree could be completed in as little as 3 years!
Any Practical work could be sent to the students home to complete by post with the student setting up a camcorder to record any practical assessments. After all a Open university sends practical materials for people doing chemistry degrees, so should be possible with medicine.
The foundation years F1 and F2 would then be completed working in a hospital like normal medical graduates do, giving the practical experience required before full qualification.
Hospital visits could be arranged at the students nearest hospital.
At the end of the day if you have the academic ability to learn medicine, then all you should need to do is sit exams. With the internet, forums etc all the learning resources are available to a student on a smart phone or Ipad. All they have to do is follow the syllabus and pass the exams and a newly qualified doctor is created.
The whole degree should be possible with no more expense than that of exam fees and practical materials.
Great idea?
Does anyone know if its possible yet to do a degree in medicine or dentistry by correspondence course, postal university or open university yet? I hope its possible soon under government plans, as a lot of people are put off going to medical school because of the extortionate tuition fees, high chemistry grades required and it taking 5 years to qualify.
This could open up a career as a doctor or dentist to many people. The study and exams would still be tough so it would not be an academically easier way of becoming a doctor.
When it becomes possible to study medicine by distance learning, students will be able to study at their own pace 12 months of the year, removing medical school summer vacation could mean a Bachelor of medicine degree could be completed in as little as 3 years!
Any Practical work could be sent to the students home to complete by post with the student setting up a camcorder to record any practical assessments. After all a Open university sends practical materials for people doing chemistry degrees, so should be possible with medicine.
The foundation years F1 and F2 would then be completed working in a hospital like normal medical graduates do, giving the practical experience required before full qualification.
Hospital visits could be arranged at the students nearest hospital.
At the end of the day if you have the academic ability to learn medicine, then all you should need to do is sit exams. With the internet, forums etc all the learning resources are available to a student on a smart phone or Ipad. All they have to do is follow the syllabus and pass the exams and a newly qualified doctor is created.
The whole degree should be possible with no more expense than that of exam fees and practical materials.
Great idea?
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Oh yes I agree, I am sure lots of us would love to go see a doctor or dentist who have qualified via a correspondence course;-)
Still a bit more to it than that.
It would only be the degree stage that would be done by correspondence the foundation years after graduation would be done in a real hospital just like regular medicine graduates have to do. But the advantage is by that stage they'd be getting paid by the NHS albeit working under supervision until they pass all assessments, only after that stage are they fully qualified doctors and can wok solo.
''Hospital visits'' could be arranged? How? The medical students who come to the wards are supported by the deanery, they are covered by NHS indemnity. They need access to patient's medical notes and confidential information so they can practise their assessment skills. The hospital is highly unlikely to allow random students on an open university course let loose on their wards and who is going to support them in practice? Medical students spend quite some time in clinical practice from their 3rd year onwards, spending time on the wards, in clinics, in surgery and with specialist nurses. We would never give the same level of support and commitment to a random university student (we get the odd student who wants to observe what goes on in hospitals but that's all they can do -observe)
Most of the medical school lectures are carried out by professors of medicine and surgery, hardly comparable to reading text books or watching youtube links.
As for F1 and F2, the doctors leave medical school armed with quite a bit of clinical experience and, even today, are expected to hit the ground running, having a fair bit of responsibility from their first day onwards. That's why all nurses hate the first week in August when the brand new doctors start. Foundation year doctors are not directly supervised (why does the OP believe they are?. They have limited powers and they have a registrar they can call on but they are expected to get on with the routine work independently) - even their general dogsbody role carries quite a lot of importance. They are often the first port of call for deteriorating patients. These new doctors are bad enough coming through the traditional route but heaven help us if the ''new'' doctors have come through the open university route. What experience will they have? Academic knowledge is very, very different to having a real life serious situation to deal with.
Doctors, nurses, physios have a very hands on role. Throughout their training there must be a balance between the academic, theoretical side and the practical clinical side. Nurses must spend at least half their course in clinical practice. I don't know what the ratio is for doctors but, as I said, they do spend a lot of time in hospitals from their 3rd year onwards, mainly supported on the wards by professors and tutors from the deanery.
The OP needs to understand current medical training a little better before he proposes alternatives. The course can't be shortened but some students elect to do 6 years so they come out with a better medical degree.
It might work for an access style thing where you can get your book work done to a point and allowing for perhaps formal entry to a medical course but the demand for medical courses is such that you'll still have to fight tooth and nail for a place
I thought that was the stupidest idea ever, but this one might just beat it!
Absolutely not! Go down the route of physician assistant instead.
I can't see why anyone would disagree with that.
On a less flippant note, the issue should be more about waiving or reducing tuition fees on courses where there's a significant need for people to do those courses and take up work in those fields, particularly where the roles are judged to be critical/important to society or the economy/
i.e. if you've got an acute shortage of doctors then waive/reduce the fees for medical degrees
acute shortage of engineers, reduce the fees for engineering degrees
etc. etc.
My postie sticks every package, whatever size, in my small newspaper recycling bin, should be entertaining for the neighbours watching me unwedge a body in the evening
Cleaner > Porter > Nurse > Doctor
Never heard of that role before, sounds interesting.
I suppose if you're not in then it could be left with a neighbour, like any other oversize mail or to collect form sorting office. The same happened when I got a welding machine on Ebay.
Or not.
I agree with that, and in return, upon graduation, the student is required to work for the NHS (or any other public body in the case of other courses) for a set period of time.