Career options in Medicine

Abstract

Students accepted for admission to the MD course at the University of Malta are understandably elated and initially may not appreciate the long-term implications of their choice. Over the last 10 years, a number of medical schools have revised their curriculum thoroughly, providing less formal and didactic teaching and introducing multidisciplinary interactive approaches to problem-based teaching in cognizance of the different challenges undergraduates now face on qualifying. For example, behavioural sciences and the teaching of communication skills to students have been given importance as has evidence-based medicine, public health, palliative care and patient safety. Certain members of the profession may claim such change has been catalysed more by medicolegal issues necessitating the introduction of risk management than by an actual need for the nurturing of these skills among members of the medical profession.