One of the aims of medical schools is to produce doctors who have acquired the habit of independent life-long self-directed learning. Medicine is advancing quite dramatically together with technological advancements in life sciences – biochemistry, genetics, medical engineering, computer sciences and lately the renown Artificial Intelligence. It is only by instilling the self-directed lifelong learning habit in medical graduates can we ensure that our doctors are keeping abreast with developments.
To ensure that the medical graduates acquire the life-long self-directed learning habit medical schools employed various types of curricula out of which the problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum appears to be quite promising. Various types of PBL curricula are employed all over the world ranging from a dramatic totally new approach to the more traditional ones like what we have been practicing in our medical schools – the clinical sessions that we have used, ward rounds, bed-side teachings to clinical classes in an auditorium. Looking at the quality of our graduates in terms of self-directed learning, we can assume that they are quite satisfactory in achieving that aim.
One important point that we should be aware is that producing qualified dedicated graduates does not depend solely on academic achievements but also on the desire to learn and be “good” doctors. The selection criteria for medical school entry should be based not only on academic achievements but also on the aptitude of the potential students.
Even when the graduates have the desire for self-directed study the required materials for learning have to be available. Compared to previous times the availability and access to internet at present is indeed an advantage. It is hoped that the practitioners would use it to keep abreast with developments in medicine. The Myanmar Journal of Current Medical Practice indeed wishes to be of help in our medical practitioners’ endeavor to keep abreast with developments in medicine.
