SUMMARY OF A SESSION ATTENDED

Paper Presentation on

Clinical Skills Unit (CSU) By Prof Achike (Malaysian)

            Development of a Clinical Skills Unit in Malaysian University promotes and facilitates better learning among medical students in preparation for their medical clerkship.  CSU comprises of the terminal skills expected of a general practitioner.

Three phases exist in CSU.

1)     Practice on dummies and mannequins ( IV insertion, Foley catheter insertion) ( How to do this and that) ( Proper Physical Exam)

2)     Practice on simulated patients

3)     Actual patients ( clinics)

Advantages: more time for the medical students to prepare and gain confidence regarding their work as physician-clinician.

Disadvantage: Sustainability of CSU very costly!

Core Competencies in PBL

GLOBAL TRENDS in Medical Education

1. Exponential growth of knowledge

2. Advances in technology

3. Distance education is a reality

4. Regional and international mobility of physicians (professional/education/training)

5. Development of national accreditation systems

6. Privatization of medical education

7. EBM and best evidence medical education

Core Competencies in PBL

PBL – is a method of teaching

Competencies – effect of learning/training

Competency-based approach is required by the graduate at the end of the course

Core – can be defined as “common” or the “minimum” BUT no necessarily the essential

Essential competencies must be within the core.

The core becomes smaller as the scope or population becomes larger.

INSIGHTS ON ATTENDING A PBL CONVENTION

             The 4^th Asia-Pacific Problem-based learning in health science made me realize that we are left behind with other country who utilizes the PBL has been around for quite some time.  One of the Malaysian speakers said that in IMU they have been using the PBL format for 15 years and so far they have produced results at par if not better with the usual curricula.

The PBL conference allows to gives us a better view of the trends in teaching –learning activities both as a student and as a faculty.  Serve as a gateway and open our minds that the conventional way of teaching is not the only way in assessing ourselves but also provides an in-depth view of the student as a learner and the teacher as a mentor.

INSIGHTS IN PRESENTING IN THE PBL CONVENTION

It was really an awesome experience to cherish.  A week ago I was reading my paper on learning portfolio, memorizing and rehearsing every word in it.  After a grueling effort to make it perfect, practice with consultant and with our beloved chairperson, I finally got it right.

Few hours before I presented in the PBL, I made a text message to Dr Joson that I was ready to present. He responded positively with the “K”. From then on I am sure everything would turn out fine.

I was on-duty at that time and I have to be in the ER because all of the residents were in the convention. Only my first year and I was practically left to man the ER and the OPD.

I arrived 30minutes before the presentation only to find out that the format in the laptop did not matched the one in my memory stick. Anyways, even though the slides in presentation was different from what I rehearsed.   Still I was able to deliver the message, because mastery of the subject did not matched cues written on the slides presentation.  Really awesome!

To our Chairperson - Dr.  Reynaldo Joson, thank you very much