Dr. James Martin on accreditation
The following is an excerpt of the editorial written by, Dr. James Martin, Chair, Department of Medicine from the latest edition of Vital Signs, the Newsletter of the Department of Medicine, available now.
It seems that we are in a season of impending accreditation on many fronts. Of particular concern to us all is the need to pass our undergraduate program review with flying colors. While major strides have been made through the efforts of the Dean and the Faculty of Medicine (Dr. Beth-Ann Cummings and many others), it cannot all be accomplished without the commitment also of the faculty members who are in the trenches doing the teaching and are causing some of the issues of non-compliance with current standards. Some of the problems require long-term solutions such as the involvement of women faculty members in leadership positions. Others are short-term goals such as ensuring a safe learning environment. Although less problematic in medicine than in other disciplines, it is important that students not feel exposed to situations of excess responsibility without appropriate support. Availability of residents and staff to support the students in the clinical environment is an essential.
Respect for the pedagogical objectives of clinical rotations is also very important. For example, during the exit interview of the medical students, it seems that directly observed physical examinations was an area for substantial improvement. The timely return of evaluations remains an issue. Without a doubt, the failure of many to use their McGill e-mail addresses is not helping communication. Have your e-mails from the Department and the Faculty forwarded to your Hotmail account if you feel that you must support Hotmail.
Read the full issue of Vital Signs.
December 1, 2016