EDUCATION. The organization of the medical program has changed to match the new program, but the Medical Program Committee will continue as a decision-making body. Since the beginning of the year, the committee’s work has been led by surgeon and professor Lars Börjesson.
Since this is an extensive assignment, Lars Börjesson carefully considered the offer before saying yes.
“It is, of course, fun to be involved and drive development of Sahlgrenska Academy’s largest program. It is an opportunity to contribute in creating the best possible program that equips students well for a professional life as a doctor. Since I have been a part of the medical program for a long time, I also know that my colleagues are both knowledgeable and committed.”
Involved in the medical program at every level
Lars Börjesson combines his professorship in surgery with a position as a surgeon at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. These days, he has almost completely put aside the scalpel since he lacks the time required to maintain sharpness in the operating room. He now devotes the clinical part of his combination position primarily to the surgical assessment of patients.
Lars has long been involved in the training of doctors at every level. At Sahlgrenska University Hospital, he has served as the director of studies for junior residents in training, resident physicians, and specialists surgeons in Region Västra Götaland. At the University, he long served with Professor Ralph Peeker as coordinator for the surgery course in the medical program’s 8th semester. For several years, he was co-director for the bridging program for doctors with degrees from outside the EU/EEA and was education coordinator at the Institute of Clinical Sciences. He is a long-time member of the Medical Program Committee and the program’s director of studies. For the past five years, he has been responsible the Sahlgrenska Academy’s practical examination within the framework of the knowledge test for doctors with degrees from outside the EU.
Big change
Four institutes (biomedicine, clinical sciences, medicine, and neuroscience and physiology) are jointly responsible for training doctors at Sahlgrenska Academy. The Medical Program Committee coordinates this training with the program. The medical program is currently transitioning as the old program is being phased out and the new one is being put into place. Over the next five years, the new and the old medical programs will be run in parallel.
“Since the old medical program is winding down, there is a risk that we lose the impetus to continue developing it. We must be conscious of this, so that we continue to ensure that students in the old program also receive the best possible education.”
In many cases, the same individuals are working on the old and the new medical programs, so the two organizations for the programs overlap. This also provides an opportunity to test new lessons with students in the old program, if there is reason to believe that they can improve courses.
Vital program council
The transition to the new medical program has led to major changes in the organization around the program. The previous twenty-five course coordinators have been reduced to twelve, one for each semester in the new medical program. A program council has been appointed, with Associate Professor Johan Mölne as chairperson, and includes the twelve course coordinators for the semesters. Since Lars is also responsible for semester 11, he is also a member of the program council. The council discusses and prepares questions concerning the new medical program, work that is supplemented by the Medical Program Committee and its various working groups. The Medical Program Committee continues to be a decision-making body.
Clinical skills training in focus
Lars explains that clinical training is particularly close to his heart.
“As a clinician, I have worked with patients throughout my professional life, and I feel it is particularly important for the medical program to continue developing clinical training to make it as good as possible,” says Lars and feels the new program places clinical skills training at the fore.
“The new program is aimed at gaining a medical license. In the past, we have partly been able to rely on general residential training, which has provided graduated doctors a long period of practical training in the medical system. When they are still students, you cannot give them as much responsibility during clinical training, and they risk not learning as much. I think we need to give the students as much clinical responsibility as the law allows.”
Safe study environment
The Swedish Medical Association recently published its latest medical student survey, where several of last year’s graduates in Gothenburg reported having experienced gender discrimination. Previous comparable surveys, which also asked about other forms of discrimination, have yielded similar results. Lars feels that this issue must be taken seriously:
“All students have the right to a safe study environment. In the Swedish Medical Association survey, 17 students reported that they experienced gender discrimination from teachers at some point during their studies, which of course must be allowed to occur.”
Part of society at large
If a student decides to report a suspected case of discrimination by a teacher, the University begins a process to investigate the incident. But students are also a part of society at large, Lars Börjesson points out. Other surveys have reported cases of discrimination by classmates, supervisors and patients. When patients discriminate, it can be especially difficult to address.
“When you are a fully trained doctor, you must be able to handle this kind of situation since you cannot deny the patient care. Within the medical program, we try to prepare our students for this type of behavior by exploring, discussing and reflecting on the problem.”
BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
