Hi everyone,

I am actually really happy that someone started this thread. This is a topic that I am really worried and annoyed about. I am half way through my medical degree at the moment and I have witnessed many students become more and more selfish and arrogant!! I personally think that arrogance is a horrible colour for anyone to wear. However, some will argue that selfishness and arrogance can be good in medical school, as it drives students to learn and "better" themselves. Perhaps you can argue it has worked for decades, why stop now. I am going to give my own (perhaps biased view) on this, though I have found quite a few other students that feel the same. I myself have plenty of motivation, and I don't feel the need to step on other people's toes and "look" the best in front of a doctor or fellow students. I personally think if you got into medical school you should have quite a bit of self-motivation anyway. If I can see myself progressing and able to answer those difficult questions that are thrown my way I feel I am doing a good job. Of course I feel a bit down when I don't know an answer, but then I go and look it up and will possibly never forget it again (due to the feeling bad part). I have tried working with other students and passing on information that I have found, but I feel that the motion has not been reciprocated.

Regarding what KK Muneer said about "selfishness", I think he made a very good philosophical debate regarding the subject. But look up the definition of selfishness: “devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others”. I think this is the definition I and many others would use. Of course, don't let other students walk all over you by not looking out for yourself.

Perhaps some of you have heard the term "gunner". I think it was originally an american term, but I think it beautifully describes the "gunning down" of other students by the arrogant "gunner" student. I have actually mentioned to a few doctors running my medical school about running some team working skills sessions, and they thought it was a good idea. I was actually very interested in planning and helping out with such sessions. I have done a few of these in a previous life (yes, I am a grad student) and my father has told me about some good ones he has done in his company. Now of course these can be boring, especially if just lecture based. However, if you make them interactive, with team working on manual tasks, like "bridge building" or project building, etc, these can be actually lots of fun and really good in building team working skills. However, the powers that be at the top decided that this cannot be fitted into the curriculum time table. I personally think that team working skills should be part of the "Duties of a Doctor 2009" guidelines (GMC). Perhaps it is, I have not read it in full. If it actually is why is it not part of our and other med school's curriculums, and if it is not, why is it not!!!

I have actually witnessed first hand a few times now what happens to medical students who are arrogant and selfish when they become doctors. Other doctors, and especially the nurses, just cannot stand them and the foremost mentioned doctor finds it very hard to get any cooperation.

In the end, we will have to work together as doctors, so why not instil it into med students early, so that we can help each other out during the tough years of medical school, form some close relationships, and be ready to hit the ground running when we start out together as real doctors.

Just a thought

M.A.B.