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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1983)
opinion VlHo iN THe World DOe&M'T aneRicaH aSRiCoDURe FeeD? g)OtjTK aMSRiCaNS aFRiCaNS aMeRiCaN FaRMeRS Medical students — what bothers them? by Maxwell Glen and Cody Shearer A 24-year-old friend returned to medical school last month, unsure for the first time about his ambition to become a doctor. After three years of all-day lectures and sleepless nights “on call,” he had reached the point in the pre-med track at which one chooses between specialization and general medicine. Neither path, he figured, would lead to happiness. As our friend saw it, in one direction lay the life of the well-paid specialist who, shrouded in malpractice protection, seems destined to repeat a few medical procedures on nearly-anonymous pa tients; in the other lay the drudgery of the general practicioner, comparatively underpaid and dependent upon patients who are often healthier than they admit. So unappealing were the choices that our friend was considering — of all things — law school. Some might say he was having a com mon attack of anxiety. Others might call him a victim of the “pre-med syndrome.” But whatever the prognosis, his case is only one reason why the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has embarked on a three-year examination of medical education in the U.S. Last week in San Francisco, physicians, stu dents and med school professors began to offer testimony at the first of a series of hearings that organizers say could lead to widespread changes in the way America grooms its doctors. The med school checkup is long over due. While curricula haven’t changed much in the last 50 years, health care itself has witnessed a continuing revolu tion in delivery, financing and tech nology. It all starts with two years of classroom courses and cramming in anatomy and biochemistry. Usually during the third year, students gain practical experience in clinics and hospitals, taking medical histories, shadowing doctors, delivering babies and performing a wide range of hospital tasks. Already, they are addres sed as “doctor.” Today’s med students, says the AAMC, are “overburdened’' with memorization and, at the same time, undertrained in how to stay abreast of new developments. More distressing, our future doctors often shortchange their personal growth in the pursuit of the M.D. Many gradu ates emerge from med school only har dened by the experience, unable to com municate with patients, and contributing to what the American Medical Associa tion recently described as “a widespread impression that students, preparing for medicine are unpleasantly competitive and possibly anti-intellectual.” “The problems are intimately interre lated,” said Robert L. Kellogg, dean of the University of Virginia’s College of Arts and Sciences and chairman of the AAMC study group. “The explosion of medical knowledge has led some of the med schools to try to cram the state of the art into these very young adults at the expense of keeping in mind that healing people is what it is all about.” Some med schools have begun to en courage undergraduates to enroll in non-science courses; others will consider factors other than tests and grades in admissions. One change already floated by the review panel would be to admit students as early as the sophomore year of college, allowing candidates more time to pursue non-medical subjects. Knowing something of college stu dents, however, we suspect that adjust ment would only lead pre-meds to bury their heads deeper in the sand. Aspiring doctors spend too many waking hours in preparation; too few have taken a sabba tical in — or even sampled — the outside world. That’s why the University of Pennsylvania has opened a special school for training older med school candidates — aged 24 to 34 — for admission. “The philosophy here is that a 25-year- old may, in the long run, make a better, more compassionate doctor because he or she is more mature,” Donna Sheckler, assistant to the vice dean at Penn’s Col lege of General Studies, told our reporter Michael Duffy. “With some work experi ence behind them, med students are bet ter able to face clinical settings.” But a shift to earlier admissions would only encourage the missteps of students such as our friend who, back in high school, convinced himself that medicine was all glamour. Reality only sets in with endless exposure to routine ailments and cranky patients. Then the med student finds that it is too late — or too unprofes sional — to submit to uncertainty. The sooner future doctors realize that medicine can be just plain work, the heal thier we’ll all be. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor Diana Sultenfuss Managing Editor Gary Barker Associate Editor Denise Richter City Editor Hope E. Paasch Assistant City Editor Beverly Hamilton Sports Editor John Wagner Entertainment Editor Colette Hutchings Assistant Entertainment Editor. . . . Diane Yount News Editors Daran Bishop, Jennifer Carr, Elaine Engstrom, Johna Jo Maurer, Jan Werner, Rebeca Zimmermann Staff Writers Maureen Carmddy, Frank Christlieb, Patrice Koranek, John Lopez, Robert McGlohon, Ann Ramsbottom, Kim Schmidt, Patti Schwierzke, Kelley Smith, Angel Stokes, Tracey Taylor, Joe Tindel Copyeditors Jan Swaner, Chris Thayer Cartoonist Scott McCullar Graphic Artist Pam Starasinic Photographers David Fisher, Jorge Casari, Ronald W. Emerson, Octavio Garcia, Rob Johnston, Irene Mees Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-Coliege Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter should be directed to the editor. Letters Policy Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed and show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (713) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published daily during Texas A&M’s fall and spring semesters, except for holiday and exami nation periods. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semes ter, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adver tising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Battalion/Page! February 4, Letters: Minority enrollment Editor: This letter is in reference to the comic strip Warped which appeared in Friday’s Battalion. For those who have not seen or do not remember, Friday’s strip referred to minority enrollment here at Texas A&M and asked the reader to determine which of five illustrations represented the minority student. It was appropriate ly entitled “Can You Find the Texas A&M Minority Student?” (Need I say more?) Well, Mr. McCullar, your comic strip certainly found this minority student with a few questions of his own! Have times gotten ,so bad that respectable wri ters and illustrators are forced to revert to such tactless exhibitions of tasteless humor? Is this what is called responsible journalism? I think not. It seemed as though this comic strijj was a direct attempt to exemplify retroac tive viewpoints of the recent issue of minority enrollment and recruitment. The idea of getting more minority stu dents here is one that I strongly agree with — and not simply because I conve niently fit into that category. The im pressions that I received from the strip were negative and offensive. Many of the people whom I discussed this matter with felt that it was offensive and somewhat tactless, and a large percentage of them were not minorities. Might I suggest that we show a little journalistic discretion whenever an issue is brought into the limelight as this one has been. President Vandiver deserves a pat on the back for his efforts and 1 sup port them wholeheartedly. This letter is not meant to create negative attitudes but merely to state an opinion which comes in the form of constructive criticism. I strongly desire to realize the full intent of Friday’s strip and I hope to receive a re sponse to relieve this desire. I’m quite sure that the strip was one of a positive nature. However, if not, then Warped is a perfect and rather appropriate title for both the strip and the actions illustrated in it on Friday. Gig ’em! dards and rich tradition recruitsanl I tains our student body. No Univerat I nanced programs have alia thousands of proud, successful A| | by Bi All people have an equal righttoa| the federally funded school ofi choice. I, for one, believe in the con tudent urn the. to equality, not “over-equality.” The heartfelt jjride that students! Lenter ii at Texas A&M derive from thechal |pnenight ing struggle to achieve our high:; lay from dards of education. This challenge^ I in a rigorous test of our commitmentto ^ -- IT- 1»TL . 1 • er, said t University. What a pleasure it is it a b ( among all these old-army rug“ J * Mark Anthony Sterling ’86 vidualists. Call me inhumane, call nit e nt club exas AA The A Editors Note: This letter was accompa nied by 35 other signatures. Students recruited by standards, traditions different, hut I’m nottryingto jjarticular minority or ethnic group! The University has been underiiin> uee st scrutiny in recent years over theroi I ir women in the Corps. A few misfonii I ei ( S ) a ‘^ incidents brought jjublic degradaiit(l ll/e< 1 11 Texas A&M on a national scale, lions of discrimination currently Editor: Thursday’s Battalion revealed that Dr. Vandiver unveiled an $8.5 million plan to correct minority conditions. The President’s Committee on Minority Con ditions reported: “the political, social, academic and spiritual atmosphere at Texas A&M is not conducive to the re cruitment or the retention of minorities.” I contend that high academic stan- our honest reputation. While Dr,I! diver’s plan may help refute this reputation, it will he detrimental fundamental principles that make A&M great. A1 M Bat The M: t booths, e 1 appreciate the quality of indivii hci e, and the fat i the\ havethegut * stamina to stay. 1 admire Aggiesbecl they’re tough and self-sustaining. Dr. Haskel Julian Pechacet | the spe Jjister, hel \ to honor ijei stude 1 ring the Monroi 'Ran of fai :e presu airs unti pointed ] sity of 1 | o has ser the Grac istant \ idemic a Monroe 1959 an n for tei liversity : A lui, WELL,WATT KEPT HIS PROMISEHE SAIC> THIS (AND WAS OM L0N6 AS THE RIVER FLOWS AND THE GRASS GROWS AND THE MOUNTAINS SHARE THEIR BEAUTY. Letters: Traditions need attention Editor: It has come to my attention that three of our most important traditions are being tread upon with a noticible lack of concern. First and foremost I wish to call excep tion to the scheduling of intramural bas ketball games at times conflicting with the ceremony of Silver Taps. One frater nity has already assured us that they will not again schedule activities coinciding with Silver Taps. If this off-campus orga nization can make this effort, shouldn’t our own on-campus intramural office have enough consideration for our fallen comrades to do the same? Secondly, three times in the past few days have I seen people walking on the grass surrounding the Memorial Student Center. If signs were not posted in va rious places around the MSC or if side walks were not conviently located in the area, this might be understandable. But this is not the case. There is no exceptable reason whatsoever for walking on the grass of the MSC. Thirdly, does anyone know of any par ticular reason that the Howdys are be coming so scarce on this campus? It is so easy to say Howdy to the Ags you meet on the sidewalk; why doesn’t anyone say it anymore? Friendliness is especially im portant at this time of year when so many high school seniors, prospective Ags, are touring the campus. Shouldn’t we be put ting our best Howdy forward? sound system and screen quality in the Theater are far inferior to those in the Auditorium. Attempting to see and hear “Gone with the Wind” Friday night in the thea ter was a disappointing experience. An injustice has been done to this and many other great movies by dooming them to be shown in Rudder Theater. Can’t the folks in charge of Aggie Cinema sense audience dissatisfaction with the audiovisual deficits in Rudder Theater? Why not show all future movies in the Auditorium? Hopefully, we aren’t witnessing the birth of a new tradition. trw day earnestly requested that anyone cares about making Martin Lutherk Jr.’s Birthday a national holiday write to President Reagan at thefi ing address. Murphy is going to hai letters to Washington, D.C. in a such and sincerely requests that conscience to make this national In a reality, do so. I thought a few good Ags might" 1 Please think about it. The address President Reagan c/o Eddie Murphy, S.N.L. P.O. Box 912 New York, New York 10101 Michael W. Riggs Bryan Marilu Jurenkij China speech Sit down Editor: Monday at 7 p.m. in 105 Harrington Annex, Dr. Bin-Zang Whang will speak. Dr. Wang, a graduate of McGill Universi ty, is the leader of “China Spring”, a front fighting for human rights and democra cy in Communist China. This front is similar to Solidarity in Poland, and Dr. Wang has been called the “Lech Walesa of China.” I feel that the students of Texas A&M, through Dr. Wang, have a good opportunity to learn what it’s really like in the People’s Republic of China. They should support him with their attendance. Editor: We have four words for TomDot SIT DOWN BUS DRIVER! Tony Herin^J Elaine Cassenf Pedestrian conflicts Kelli J. Clement ’85 Theater woes Rick Olson Graduate Student Editor: What reasoning was used in the decision to start showing the majority of Aggie Cinema features in Rudder Theater in stead of Rudder Auditorium? Both the National holiday Editor: Eddie Murphy, hit comedian and actor on Saturday Night Live, last Satur- Editor: I would like to respond to Campbell’s letter concerning the gance of pedestrians on campus. 1 trians must have complete right of 1 under any and all circumstances, W gent individuals must agree to cause in a confrontation betw pedestrian and a vehicle there will be one real loser, the pedestrian. This does not, however, remove the pedestrian the moral and socii sponsibilities of acting in a st considerate manner, but these resj bilities apply to the non-pedesi well. Mark Cunninghaitf