Notes on medical education : being replies to the inquiries addressed to teachers by the General Medical Council / by John Struthers.

  • Struthers, John, 1823-1899.
Date:
1873
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes on medical education : being replies to the inquiries addressed to teachers by the General Medical Council / by John Struthers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    2. “ The period in a four years’ course when they can be most profitably studied, and the length of time which should be devoted to them.” The period when anatomical study is laid aside is practically regulated by the period of the pass examination in Anatomy. When we take into account not only the importance of Anatomy, from its nature and extent, but that the knowledge of it acquired by the student has generally to last him for life, as it is almost the only branch which the practitioner is unable to improve himself in, practically, after he has left the medical school, it is not too much to say that anatomical study should not be allowed to be thrown aside before the end of the third year. I am far from saying that further dissection may not be engaged in with advantage during the fourth year also, if the student can find time for it, for I would hesitate to appear to assign any arbitrary limit to the attention which the student should give to the dissection of the human bodyA The study of Physiology should not begin before the student has some acquaintance with Anatomy and Chemistry. The pass examination in Physiology should be at the same time as the pass examination in Anatomy. 3. “ The manner in which they can best be taught—by lectures, practical instruction, or otherwise. In a well organised school of Anatomy, the teaching should be, in part to the assembled class, in part to small groups, and in part to individuals. All lectures on Anatomy should be well illustrated by fresh dissections, by specimens and dissections from a good * I do not mean that the Lectures should be attended during three years as was formerly the custom ; ordinarily it should suffice if the Couise of Lectures on Anatomy is diligently attended during the first and second winter sessions; but attention to anatomy by dissection and practical study should not cease before the end of the third year. The dissections should be made with care, and studied. Careless dissection is of little value. Even a neatly-made dissection, unless it is carefully studied, goes for little beyond training the hand. An important part of the work in the practical rooms consists not merely in the practice of dissection, but in studying the dissec¬ tions. It is a severe tax on the time and work of the teacher, but it should be seen to that all the dissections are carefully made and carefully studied.