PAPRSBIHS: At IM

Hope this will be very helpful to all of you who are interested to join in the family.

What students think of IM?

IM is a very close-knit community. Being a very young and small faculty, many of us know each other, and almost all the lecturers and staff members know us by names. It has a very good staff-student ratio, allowing small group teaching. I particularly enjoy the learning system adopted in IM. It encourages us to do our self-study and research during SDL, which then stimulates healthy group discussions in PBL.

How do you find out about IM?

I first heard about IM when the BHSc/MBBS course was advertised on the newspaper back in 2005.

Can you describe one whole sentence about your program?

A pragmatic programme, with emphasis on clinical knowledge and skills, always striving to train us to become good doctors in the future.

How do you survive Mini Medical Interview / OSEI? Tips for passing OSEI.

OSEI is a formal interview just to check that you are really into doing Medicine. As long as you have the passion in Medicine, and you are ready to commit yourself into the life of a medical student and doctor, they will pass you for sure. Just be yourself and let your personality shine. But one thing, just speak…whatever your opinion is, but do be reasonable. It might be very intimidating as you may think the examiners are all doctors, specialists or scientists, but they are just like any other people out there. For just that day, treat them like friends – I’m sure they are not there to fail you. They are there to pass you. At the end of the day, remember to smile.

What is Problem Based Learning / PBL?

PBL is a way of learning which involves a simulated clinical case. So at the beginning of the week, you will be given a case scenario, say Mr X who is 20years old came in to A&E with a cough. So from that, your team of people will have to hypothesise and discuss issues around that. For example, you have to know the anatomy, histology and physiology of the respiratory system; the mechanism of cough; types of chest infections, etc. It is therefore an integrated system of learning, which unlike medical schools before, we will have to cover all the disciplines of health sciences in a week – relevant to the case. The mode of learning is self-directed learning (SDL), with some lectures (2 or 3) and large group sessions (LGS)…then as a group, we will discuss what we have all read up on the learning issues that we have identified from the case triggers.

How does PBL change your way of study?

I am not a person who is very much into didactic lectures. So PBL suits the way I study, as I have the freedom to do self-study and research at my own time – which means that it is highly flexible. In a way, it is training me in speaking in the “medical language” when we have discussions, rather than just absorbing the knowledge and regurgitating them during examinations.

Did you take Physics/Biology in high school? How does that help you in surviving BHSc Health Science?

Well, I was in the Science stream throughout high school and in college, I took Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. Having some background knowledge in Biology does help in a way – in first year particularly, when we go through the basic health sciences. Nevertheless, not taking Biology in A Levels does not mean you can’t be a medical student. Indeed, I know some friends who are doing well in medical school and some great doctors/specialists who didn’t do Biology then.

What do you like best about IM?

I must say it is the group of people I study and work with in IM. IM’s staffs are very friendly and helpful.

By Jonathan Lim
Third Year BHSc Health Science / Medical Student

I am still waiting from the Second year students...hint..hint...hehe