Radboud Annals of Medical Students

RAMS

  • Home
  • Sign up – Masterclasses 2023!
  • News
    • Newsletter archive
  • About
    • RAMS
    • The Board
    • The General Board
      • The General Board (2022-2023)
      • Previous General Boards
    • The Editorial Board
      • The Editorial Board (2022-2023)
      • Previous Editorial Boards
    • The Supervisory Board
    • Reviewers and Editors
    • RAMS Committees
      • Symposium Committee
      • Masterclass Committee
  • Editions
    • 2021-2022
      • Twentieth Edition – September 2021
      • Twentyfirst Edition – December 2021
      • Twenty second Edition – March 2022
    • 2020-2021
      • Sixteenth edition – September 2020
      • Seventeenth edition – December 2020
      • Eighteenth edition – March 2021
      • Nineteenth Edition – June 2021
    • 2019-2020
      • Fourteenth edition – December 2019
      • Fifteenth edition – April 2020
      • Sixteenth edition – September 2020
    • 2018-2019
      • Eleventh Edition – September 2018
      • Twelfth Edition – January 2019
      • Thirteenth edition – May 2019
    • 2017 – 2018
      • Ninth Edition – November 2017
      • Tenth Edition – February 2018
    • 2016-2017
      • Sixth Edition – November 2016
      • Seventh Edition – March 2017
      • Eighth Edition – July 2017
    • 2015-2016
      • Third Edition – November 2015
      • Fourth Edition – March 2016
      • Fifth Edition – June 2016
    • 2014-2015
      • Pilot Edition – June 2014
      • First Edition – January 2015
      • Second Edition – June 2015
  • For Authors
    • Submit your Article
    • Research internship
  • For Supervisors
  • For Reviewers
  • Contact
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookiebeleid (EU)
Je bent hier: Home / News / Take the leap

Take the leap

22 april 2022 by Rams

Guus Brand

A couple of weeks ago, the decentral selection process ended in all medical faculties in the Netherlands. This is a process that I have passed through six years ago myself when I applied for medical school at Radboud University. Thousands of middle school teens apply and join in the selection process, but only 20-25 percent of them actually succeed in entering medical school. The selection is often described as difficult and stressful. So difficult that there is a booming business of crash courses decentral selection of medicine (for which the organizers charge a hefty fee, of course). Most universities have a selection process that involves a letter of motivation, a personality test, and, often most importantly, some sort of biomedical knowledge test. 

Especially this last part is where most students struggle, and it is also the test on which most students focus all their energy and attention. For me, this is somewhat strange. Is excellent biomedical knowledge the most important aspect of a good physician? In the digital age, much of what were once the secrets of the medical profession are now accessible to everyone with a computer and internet connection. Websites such as WebMD or thuisarts.nl give people access to knowledge that was once only attainable and understandable after years of hard study. Furthermore, much of the medical profession has been taken over by machines, computers, and other helpful tools. Take measuring blood pressure, for example, once a true craft to perform quickly, comfortably, and accurately. Now, in many modern hospitals, it is merely a matter of wrapping the cuff around a patient’s arm and pressing the button. Not that I am saying that these are bad advancements; the use of the internet to provide patients with information adds to the patient being informed and empowered, and technological advancements in medicine have opened up countless new possibilities. That leaves the question, however, what are the core values that make up a doctor or even any health care provider. 

For me, it is more important someone who applies for medical school or any other study or job in (health)care has a set of core values. In my opinion, the core values of any good doctor are not necessarily a perfect grasp of medical knowledge, to be able to wake up in the middle of the night and recite the Krebs cycle or the brand names of all fluoroquinolones. Biomedical background knowledge is vital and unmistakably part of every able physician, but in my opinion, it is not a core value that makes or breaks a doctor. It is something that can always be taught. Values that can not be taught, such as empathy and caring for others, are, in my opinion, core values that constitute a good healthcare worker. Sure there are universities that emphasize professionalism; at Radboud University, an entire course is dedicated to this end. But this course also focuses on behaving professionally in the workplace; it does not teach “being a good person”. Sadly, these values are hard to measure in a test and can easily be feigned. 

My point is, if you recognize yourself in the image of the ideal healthcare worker I have sketched above, do not let the results of some test hold you back. Anyone can learn the biomedical skills and knowledge required to be a doctor or nurse. You possess something that no test can measure, and no university can teach. You should be in healthcare. 

Categorie: News, Uncategorized

RAMS Newsletter

RAMS complies to the GDPR. By submitting your e-mail address to us you agree with our Privacy Policy.

Social Media


Sponsors & Partners

  • Brian Gardner
  • Lauren Mancke
  • Nathan Rice
  • Nick Croft
  • Rafal Tomal
  • Ron Rennick
© Copyright 2014 RADBOUD ANNALS OF MEDICAL STUDENTS · All Rights Reserved · Powered by PLatform11
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Altijd ingeschakeld
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDuurOmschrijving
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
OPSLAAN & ACCEPTEREN
Aangedreven door CookieYes Logo