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Howard Tenenbaum's avatar

This underscores my fears related to the notion that we're not training competent clinicians anymore. They are good at memorizing facts and then regurgitating them on multiple choice tests. But we no longer demand critical thinking. In fact, critical thinking is punished! I've seen this when it comes to the use of multiple choice tests to evaluate students' understanding of a particular topic area. If the student merely memorizes what he or she was 'taught', they'll do fine. BUT... if the student has actually read more deeply on a particular topic they find, when faced with having to select the 'correct' answer on a multiple choice test, that none of the answers, including the one they think the examiner wants them to select, are completely correct. What to do, what to do? There are often several facts that come to play making a *thinker* unable to select the preferred answer with any degree of comfort! No matter. Just select the answer that was provided from the handouts or textbook or lecture, and which comports with your lecture notes and all will be fine. Of course this is no indication that a student has mastered the topic at hand but the student has become an expert in the management of multiple choices tests. And these are the people in whom we place trust in the management of our health concerns. So, based on the notes, do I a) Give you a COVID booster, b) give you a COVID booster, c) Give you a COVID booster or d) All of the above.

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Dan F's avatar

Just let him do his thing, he’ll be our case study. Just how many jabs does it take?

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