Learning Objectives in Medical Education
Learning objectives are the foundation of every university course. Objectives are written based on a needs assessment that has determined what students should learn in a course. To be effective, …
Beauty and Bias
As much as the truth hurts, I don’t think I am particularly handsome, nor do I consider myself particularly unattractive either. It’s a happy medium. Nevertheless, when you sit next …
An eponymous world: what names should we use?
So you know all the manifestations of Marfan syndrome and have your head around Osler nodes and Janeway lesions, but have you ever heard of Tashima syndrome? Self-named in 1965, …
Death and Dying on Rural Placement
It was Friday afternoon of the first week of my rural term. I was in a town of approximately 4000 people, located over 500 kilometres away from any metropolitan centre. …
Getting Started in Professional Networking
Recently, I was given the opportunity to present at the Paramedics Australasia Regional Queensland (PARQ) Conference. It was an honour, however, I was only able to create my presentation through …
Coffee Consumption: Evil Foe or Helpful Friend?
As an avid coffee drinker, I was delighted by the recent article published in the New England Journal of Medicine which concluded that coffee consumption was inversely associated with mortality. …
Being a Dr Dr? Is it worth it and when’s the best time to do the doctorate?
When the journey to becoming a consultant takes at least ten years, it’s understandable that most students are eager to clamber to the top of the ladder as quickly as …
An Intern’s Tale: The First Day of Internship
Introduction I’m sure there are many of you who are wondering what being an intern in a modern-day Australian hospital is like. Over the next few weeks, I will be …
Not-so-wise words of an international medical student
4 years ago, when I was a young, naive 18 year old leaving home for the first time, in a conversation with another young, slightly more naïve but pretty 18 year old:
…so yeah I’m off to study medicine in Tasmania.
Elective Series: Malawi
Malawi is known as ‘the warm heart of Africa’ and even has a ‘Miss Warm Heart of Africa’ competition (not open to Australian entrants). I spent eight weeks there last …