Developing the Wise Doctor: A Resource for Trainers and Trainees in MMC

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

It is always refreshing to see new viewpoints on the nature and function of medical teaching, such as those advanced in this book. The last few years have seen tremendous changes to postgraduate medical teaching and assessment. While most of these represent good intentions we have to share Fish and de Cossart's nervousness that some changes are overwhelmingly managerial and are at risk of missing the complexity of medical learning. They tell us how, by casual introduction of the new assessment mechanisms and ‘Tools of the Trade’, we are at risk of missing the forest for the trees. Fish and de Cossart offer solutions that are coherent and practical, that help build on the new system rather than abandon it. In this thought-provoking work based on their own research, Fish and de Cossart lay out a clear and coherent discourse on the nature of postgraduate teaching and learning. They also dig deep into a wealth of resources already available on the issues of teaching and learning, curriculum and professional development, and the themes of narratives and humanities in the practice of medicine. Intended for postgraduate doctors involved in teaching and learning in a clinical setting, this paperback is divided into two themes: part one helps to diagnose the ‘disease’ in postgraduate medical education and part two systematically offers up a cure for its ills. The authors succinctly capture a summary of elements of clinical practice that can be developed and recorded, the standards that might be aimed for and the ability of current available processes to explore and document them. In doing so, they come up with the overview of what they call the ‘invisibles’: those elements of practice such as personal qualities, professional judgements, complex decision-making, values and attitudes that are not immediately visible to the clinical supervisor. The authors offer memorable heuristics and resource-based learning that help unravel the invisibles in the bulk of the book. The ideas presented herein will be the glue that sticks together the fragmented ‘Tools of the Trade’ to produce a richer, multidimensional teaching and assessment package. This book will be of enormous benefit for teaching and supervision and should be essential reading for anyone engaged in postgraduate medicine as learner, teacher or manager.