Special report from the Select Committee on the Medical Act (1858) Amendment (No. 3) Bill [Lords] : together with the proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence, and appendix.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on the Medical Act (1858) Amendment (No. 3) Bill.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Special report from the Select Committee on the Medical Act (1858) Amendment (No. 3) Bill [Lords] : together with the proceedings of the Committee, minutes of evidence, and appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    398/456 page 384
    Appendix, No. 11. already required in the preliminary education, is scarcely to be recommended, at any rate for the present, because it does not appear that those subjects are yet sufficiently well and generally taught at schools to admit of such a requirement. It may be apprehended that evil, rather than good, would result from the diversion to them of a part of the pupils’ time and attention, which, under the existing circumstances, might more profitably be devoted to the ordinary school studies. Regard should be had, not so much to the par- ticular subjects, or the number of the subjects, of the examination, as to the manner in which they have been learned; forasmuch as the real value of the education, as a prepara- tion for medical, or any other study, consists, whatever the subjects taught, in the training being such as to enable the student to apply his mind well to the acquisition of fresh know- ledge, and the appreciation of new facts and thoughts. Natural philosophy is, perhaps, more suitable for school education than any of the other subjects of natural science; and when it has been brought fairly within the school range, as it probably ere long will be, it may, perhaps, with advantage, be placed among the compulsory subjects of the preliminary examination. (2). Professional Examinations. A careful analysis of the annual returns of the final examinations by the several licensing bodies, during 15 years, for which the Council is indebted to Dr. Aquilla Smith, shows that the number of rejections in that examination has steadily increased throughout the period of his investigation. Whereas in 186] they were only 12‘4 per cent., in 1875 they amounted to 23’2 per cent. The increasing ratio is observable in the examinations of each of the several licensing bodies, with one or two exceptions; and the table for 1876 shows that the proportion of rejections has by no means diminished during the past year. This growing proportionate number of rejections proves that the requirements in the examina- tions have increased in greater proportion,—in much greater proportion, in fact,—than the attainments of the candidates. The rejections are attributed by the licensing bodies, in their answers, to the imperfect knowledge of the candidates, resulting, in the main, from want of diligence. The recent visitations of the examinations by the Medical Council did not disclose any unfairness or undue severity on the part of the examiners, or give rise to any suggestions for lowering tbe standard of the examinations. It is clear, therefore, that the efforts of the Council must be directed, not to lower the standard of the examinations, but to raise the standard of the education of the candidates more nearly to a level with them. The imperfection was found, according to the answers, in most instances, to be in two or more subjects of the examination ; and those who failed in the written part, commonly failed also in the practical and the oral parts. The rejections do not, therefore, appear to be owing to especial difficulty in certain subjects, or in certain methods of conducting the examinations, but to the generally indifferent preparation of the candidates. Some students are unable, in a short time, to ex press themselves clearly in writing; and some have the same difficulty orall v. Those who show the one deficiency commonly show the other ; and either is usually combined with, or proceeds from, a want of clear apprehension of the subject. In their answers to the third question, respecting any suggestions for alterations in the examinaiions, the Universities of Cambridge (Answers, p. 17), Aberdeen (p. 24), Glasgow (p. 25), and the Apothecaries’ Hall of Ireland (p. 28), suggest the advisability of a limitation of the range of certain of the subjects by schedule, so as to direct the attention of the students to the more important parts of them. A similar recommendation was made to the Medical Teachers’ Association, at page 21 of their Report, which was published by this Council, together with the report of the Committee on Professional Education in 1869; and limitations of this kind are to some extent made by certain of the licensing bodies. Having regard to the enlarging area of medical study, especially of late, in the direction of physiology and pathology, it is extremely desirable, if not absolutely necessary, that the range of the examination in certain of the subjects, such as physics, chemislry, and materia medica and pharmacy, should be limited, and that the limitation should be made known. The student will thus be able to direct his attention more definitely to the acquisition of those parts of the subjects which are of most importance, and time will not be lost, as it now too often is, in vague, desultory, superficial reading. In the case of anatomy and the other subjects, the limitation of the examination by schedule is attended with greater difficulty. It may not, perhaps, be possible to do much more than carry out the opinion expressed by the University of Cambridge, that the examination should be such as will cause them to be “studied in more immediate connection with science and practice.” The burdening of the memory with mere facts, which have no direct or obvious connection with science or practice; with facts, that is, unassociated with ideas or practical ability, is, on the whole, of little value, educationally or otherwise; and such facts make but a transient impression on the memory. Laboriously crammed together, wilh efforts worthy of a better purpose, they are with difficulty held till the examination crisis, and then, quickly escape with litle regret at their departure. Indeed, the examination in each subject of professional study should be restricted to the general principles and the more important facts of the science, and should be of such a character as to induce students, in their preparation for it, to observe and think for themselves more than is now commonly the case. The examinations should be regarded from an educational point of view, with reference, that is, to the influence which they are likely to exert upon the character, the education, and the mental training of the students who are to come after, as well
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3