Basic

Had a meeting with P and S, two colleagues from our sister department.

We were supposed to talk about the teaching of Marxism for physicists. But, before we started, while waiting for the others to join the meeting, P kicked off with quite different a topic.

“You know, there is a real difficulty to teach our junior medical students basic science.” P sighed.

“Why?” One of us asked.

“Alas, because they could not find suitable persons to teach simple anatomy and physiology in the School of Basic Medical Science.” P went on.

“Many a time our basic scientists ask for our help to do their teaching – but we don’t even have enough people to do our own one!” S added.

“I guess that much when they planned to form the School,” I said to myself, “However, it may really be a good idea. Say, who is in a better position to teach clinical anatomy – a surgeon, or a cell biologist? The only question that remains is: If basic medical science – not basic science – is to be taught by clinicians, why should a medical school employ so many basic scientists as teaching staff?”