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These exams are inadequate for even a sick-nurse dispenser or paramedic

Jul 19, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
I was particularly troubled by an article appearing in the state controlled newspaper (GC16/7/09) relating to 69 students, “Guyana’s health sector will be further boosted as a batch of 69 final year medical students sat their final examinations, and Junior Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, assured that their deployment was being finalised.
The tests took place last week at Queen’s College, and the students were required to answer multiple choice questions, affix ‘true’ or ‘false’ to statements and give a diagnosis based on a given scenario.
According to Dr Ramsaran, the new skills will be used primarily at the diagnostic centres across the country, but he assured that regional hospitals will also get their quota of skills.
Our Medical Council which was intended to have oversight functions has a right to accept or reject what is considered training in Medicine and Surgery.

It cannot fulfill its public obligation if it has a cosy relationship with the Health Minister. Such an exam would be inadequate for a sick-nurse dispenser or paramedic.
What is taking place is tantamount to genocide by invitation and not one of these individuals would be able to pass the final medical examination of any proper medical school.
A final examination in Medicine cannot produce quality material if this is the formula being used.
Medicine is a practical discipline and axiomatically the student must display practical competence which cannot be achieved by mass production that Cuba embraces.

It can only be achieved by requiring the student to write theoretical papers which may take the form of essays or multiple choice questions, but more importantly to satisfy the examiners inclusive of external examiners of proficiency in the clinical or practical aspect of the discipline.
The student must to come face to face with actual patients and provide a diagnosis in long cases and also face patients in short cases. There must also be a viva voce or oral examination in which students are questioned by gurus and invited to comment on slides, Xrays and pathology specimens.
Final examinations should be compartmentalised and include demonstration of proficiency in Pathology, Therapeutics, Medical Jurisprudence, Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

I am disappointed, but not surprised that Junior Minister Dr Ramsaran should state that these individuals will be providing service to diagnostic centres and regional hospitals. He would have redeemed himself if he added “and to Ministers of the government in particular who will therefore no longer need to go overseas for medical treatment”.
Minister Ramsammy can go to Parliament and use the PPP’s majority to baptise these individuals as paramedics or vratches but calling them medical practitioners is treachery and massive public deception.
The incidence of iatrogenic (physician induced) illness is already alarming. What useful purpose is served by increasing the volume?
Walter Ramsahoye

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