Attendance

Shortly before the Chinese New Year, I was summoned to a dinner with representatives from other peripheral hospitals that take part in the teaching of our third year medical students.

I shall not tell you what we discussed. Nonetheless, one topic that repeatedly appeared amongst our own colleagues was brought up again by a consultant from another hospital:

Should we take the student attendance for our teaching?

Of course there are pros and cons. Some argue our student are (chronologically, at least) adults and we should let them vote by their feet. Others believe it is a good way to monitor their progress and ensure they have sufficient clinical exposure.

When this very topic was brought up again on the dinner table, I must say I had little interest because it seemed certain that the whole argument of both sides would appear again and no conclusion would be reached.

But I was (happily) wrong. A physician from another hospital said, “I don’t see any reason not taking the attendance – we are doing the same for all students from the other medical school since the last millennium!”

Alas, this is the rare occasion that I think it is a good idea to follow the practice of our friends from the other side of the harbor.