Laughing at Life’s lessons: the role of Humour in Medical Education – an interactive assessment among Medical Faculty in Southeast Asia.

Abstract

Humor has been used in class room teaching. Its role in Medical education has not been fully explored. Concerns have been raised about the use of humor especially at the bedside in the context of disease and death. Despite a proven beneficial role in improving attendance and content assimilation, very few studies have examined use of humour as a tool in medical teaching. Process: We addressed the issue in an online (listserv based) moderated discussion (ML Web platform) amongst medical faculty (n=32) in the South East Asian Region as part of an e-learning exercise (part of FAIMER Fellowship programme). The discussion, lasting a month (Jan 2012) revolved around 1) Eliciting perspectives on use of humour in medical training. 2) Investigating the comfort zones in the use of humour in medical teaching/learning process,3) documenting the use of edutainment in medical training. Faculty and fellows (each having at least 5-10 years of teaching experience with medical students in their respective disciplines) involved in discussion were from varied disciplines: Anatomy, Physiology, Community Medicine, Microbiology, Physiotherapy, Gynecology, Surgery, Pharmacology, and Pediatrics. The responses were collected over 4 weeks of participation. Participants were requested to refrain from direct and personal insults as a means of using humour Results: 199 e-mails (listserv) during the month long discussion (6 pdfs, 3ppt presentations, 1 wikilink, 1 web site and 100 jokes besides others). Summary reports were posted online by two designated fellows of the core team at the end of each week. Medical faculty (n=32) is primarily enthusiastic and willing to use humour in classroom/small group of students. (Perspective); they are uncomfortable with patient situations (comfort zone). Bedside (situation) teaching is tense and gloomy. Risk of negative humour is disproportionately high. Medical learning situations need a “different” sense of humour(applicability in Teaching/Learning situation).