Being a clinical student was considered the turning point of the career of a medical student. This enabled him to obtain 2 status symbols - a stethoscope and an apron. The first day as a clinical student was a great feeling. Finding out the posting, locating the ward and finding out who are the teachers wee the main tasks. Fortunate few posted in Medicine would be having a chance to join the clinics and get a ring side view of the happenings (literally!). The Professor taking the class at the bedside would be flanked by the students of the final postings. Around them would be the students from the middle postings. Located peripherally would be the 'freshers' forming the outer circle. They usually got to see the backs of the seniors and listen to their discreet comments made under the breath (about the professor). They would be eagerly waiting for a chance to listen to the heart murmur. Without this their life would be incomplete. Those who got the first chance to listen to the murmur would have to stand a treat to others. Still it was worth it!
On a particular day, we came to know that the next day's case would be one with a murmur. The news was leaked by the nurse who in the first place told the senior students about it. We came to the ward ahead of time and tried to hang around the patient only to be shooed by the senior students. They were surprised to see us and we feigned ignorance. As expected the professor came and the class was taken. When the time came to discuss the auscultatory findings the professor agreed that there was indeed a murmur. He wanted all students to listen in by turns. We were thrilled. We heard the 'Machinery murmur" a variety of continuous murmur. Then we were told the synonyms - train in the tunnel murmur, rolling thunder murmur, cartwheel murmur, humming top murmur, churning murmur, mill wheel murmur.We became the eyesore to the other students. The next day one of our batch mates called a girl from another batch to demonstrate the murmur to her mainly to impress her. As the process was in progress, the professor walked in and silently watched the scene. He politely interrupted "My dear boy, you have all markings of a potential good teacher. But remember, the ear piece should be in your ear when you auscultate for the murmur. The boy was so ashamed that he did not turn up fr the class for the next 2 days!
Hearing the first murmur, hearing the briut over the carotid / aorta/ renal artery for the first time are unforgettable events. We got repremanded for looking for them in the wrong place. I rejoiced the moment I picked up a bruit on the skull. I would never forget the moment I heard a bruit over the eye with exophthalmos.
Sadly the doppler and echo have become "killjoys" of Clinical medicine depriving the students of the rightful thrills involved in the learning process. I agree these modalities have made the testing more objective but it was the subjectivity and vulnerability that made us more efficient! These are the things that made a teacher important. No doubt the teaching goes on. The pleasure derived in the process of teaching (by the teacher ) and the process of learning (by the student ) are as important as the learning process itself. I am afraid this and the stethoscope - the earlier status symbol of the clinical student are on their way out!
On a particular day, we came to know that the next day's case would be one with a murmur. The news was leaked by the nurse who in the first place told the senior students about it. We came to the ward ahead of time and tried to hang around the patient only to be shooed by the senior students. They were surprised to see us and we feigned ignorance. As expected the professor came and the class was taken. When the time came to discuss the auscultatory findings the professor agreed that there was indeed a murmur. He wanted all students to listen in by turns. We were thrilled. We heard the 'Machinery murmur" a variety of continuous murmur. Then we were told the synonyms - train in the tunnel murmur, rolling thunder murmur, cartwheel murmur, humming top murmur, churning murmur, mill wheel murmur.We became the eyesore to the other students. The next day one of our batch mates called a girl from another batch to demonstrate the murmur to her mainly to impress her. As the process was in progress, the professor walked in and silently watched the scene. He politely interrupted "My dear boy, you have all markings of a potential good teacher. But remember, the ear piece should be in your ear when you auscultate for the murmur. The boy was so ashamed that he did not turn up fr the class for the next 2 days!
Hearing the first murmur, hearing the briut over the carotid / aorta/ renal artery for the first time are unforgettable events. We got repremanded for looking for them in the wrong place. I rejoiced the moment I picked up a bruit on the skull. I would never forget the moment I heard a bruit over the eye with exophthalmos.
Sadly the doppler and echo have become "killjoys" of Clinical medicine depriving the students of the rightful thrills involved in the learning process. I agree these modalities have made the testing more objective but it was the subjectivity and vulnerability that made us more efficient! These are the things that made a teacher important. No doubt the teaching goes on. The pleasure derived in the process of teaching (by the teacher ) and the process of learning (by the student ) are as important as the learning process itself. I am afraid this and the stethoscope - the earlier status symbol of the clinical student are on their way out!
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