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Is the New Application system to F1 (SJT and EPM) reallly better??
posted at 23/12/2011 4:07 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 324
First: 23/12/2011 Last: 3/5/2013 |
What really aggravates me about the ISFP is that I cannot see how the new system tries to rectify the problems set out by the old. For starters, by accommodating those who don’t participate in extra-curricular activites, the new system now severely disadvantages those who do. Can I note that the proportion of those who do go out of their way to take part in activities outside of studying, in some slight way or other, vastly outweighs those who do not. Furthermore when you think about it, the new system, I believe, will now actually culture a mind-set within medical students where ‘results are everything.’ Why? Because the only thing that will determine your F1 job will be exam results and how well you are able to answer the same questions you were asked way back when you were applying to get into medical school in the first place. Why bother with actively taking part in committees or taking part in representing your year group nationally when all that will matter in the end is how well you did in the exams? Even more distressing, the new system now favours the medical student who only wishes to stay in their room and revise all the time instead of the medical student who is willing to go out and make a difference in aspects of the university or wider community. Isn't this new method trying to stop this from happening? Furthermore, if you are able to get people online to ‘write your White Space answers,’ then how long before an online course to ‘Beat the SJT’ springs up or something similar to the well attended Medlink courses carried out every year? Finally, and for me most importantly, when all comes to pass, how under a system of additional exams (something I do not think any right minded medical student would welcome), will we be able to show what being a medical student has meant to us? Those implementing this new system go into great length about how this will improve how to assess a medical students performance while on the degree? But how do you demonstrate how specific experiences throughout the course- be it from student selected components, our elective abroad, an intercalated degree or roles in committees, have shaped us into the doctor that now applies for that first job? A string of numbers from our school that gives us a rank in our year group? I don't think so. This discussion post is a copy of my response to an article published on Student BMJ in August of 2011 which is linked below.Please discuss!!! http://student.bmj.com/student/view-article.html?id=sbmj.d4915 |
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Re: Is the New Application system to F1 (SJT and EPM) reallly better??
posted at 23/12/2011 10:42 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 1444
First: 7/4/2011 Last: 21/5/2013 |
Hi Nathan, In addition to your post, we had quite an interesting discussion along similar lines: http://doc2doc.bmj.com/forums/bmj_student-bmj_multiple-choice-exam-questions-way-identify-candidates |
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Re: Is the New Application system to F1 (SJT and EPM) reallly better??
posted at 3/1/2012 11:01 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2
First: 3/1/2012 Last: 3/1/2012 |
I'm not sure the SJT will favour those students who don't do extra curricular activities and prefer to solely read textbooks. The point of the SJT is to test knowledge of clinical situations that are commonly encountered. Not information learnt from textbooks regarding examination, diagnosis and management but proceedure for adverse events, time management, medical ethics, and testing principles of safe clinical practice. Therefore in theory students who have been proactive on rotations and not just buried in textbooks should come out on top. However as a multiple choice exam (although practical from an implementation point of view) I don't think it will benefit the students it is aiming to single out. Students can make an educated guess based on the limited options and I think it is unfair that such a major decision like where a junior doctor will be based for 2 years should rely so heavily on a single exam. Especially as the student has been working so hard through out medical school. I feel it is slightly insulting for so many years of hard work to count for so little. Also students gain experience at many different hospitals and clinical environments all of which may have different local procedures for daling with some of the situaitons described in the exam, and so have different ideas on what the better answer is and be penalised for it. |
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Re: Is the New Application system to F1 (SJT and EPM) reallly better??
posted at 4/1/2012 2:32 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 324
First: 23/12/2011 Last: 3/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: Is the New Application system to F1 (SJT and EPM) reallly better??: I'm not sure the SJT will favour those students who don't do extra curricular activities and prefer to solely read textbooks. The point of the SJT is to test knowledge of clinical situations that are commonly encountered. Not information learnt from textbooks regarding examination, diagnosis and management but proceedure for adverse events, time management, medical ethics, and testing principles of safe clinical practice. Therefore in theory students who have been proactive on rotations and not just buried in textbooks should come out on top. However as a multiple choice exam (although practical from an implementation point of view) I don't think it will benefit the students it is aiming to single out. Students can make an educated guess based on the limited options and I think it is unfair that such a major decision like where a junior doctor will be based for 2 years should rely so heavily on a single exam. Especially as the student has been working so hard through out medical school. I feel it is slightly insulting for so many years of hard work to count for so little. Also students gain experience at many different hospitals and clinical environments all of which may have different local procedures for daling with some of the situaitons described in the exam, and so have different ideas on what the better answer is and be penalised for it. Posted by Maham Well actually half of the allocation process is based purely on how well you do in exams so I still believe that those who put the hard work in for exams anyway will be benefited but I whole heartily agree with the general point you are making. Part of my argument was that people who put effort and time and into portraying themselves as a well rounded doctor I think will be lost and disregarded in the process of allocations for F1/F2. Plus with more professional exams for things like MRCGP etc becoming SJT orientated- where is the motivation? |
