Students’ social media fixation – an escape from force-fed medical education?

Abstract

As a senior medical educator, the social media fixation of the current generation of medical students and the suspect quality of medical education concern me.  Through my octogenarian eyes, I see a major difference in daily social interaction.  As we pass to and from class, a greeting or even eye contact is now a rarity. Students must have their phones in-hand and at the ready for a text, a meme, an update on the precise whereabouts and activities of a friend.  In fairness, the phone is a part of their limited escape from a medical education which is being force-fed to them.  As a student, the volume of information in the study of medicine was overwhelming to me. Now, in the era of molecular genetics, monoclonal antibodies, stem cells, sophisticated imaging, robotics, and artificial intelligence, it is impossible to do anything other than to binge on a steady staccato of facts. Experts are not necessarily the best teachers.  A small committee of 5-10 members could hash out and carefully select a shorter list of key topics any physician should understand and be certain that they are taught well. Medical educators might be hired to take the bulk of teaching responsibilities for medical students in a given module.  Resolution of cellphone attachment may result in a physician focused on introspective questioning and discussion of how we choose to become the best version of ourselves and what the impact of our doctoring might be on our families and colleagues when it’s over.