The PSM Lesson

Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer. — Charles Caleb Colton

Preface

While preparing for oral or viva exams, remember, the examiner is only human. Unlike Vulcans (e.g. Mr Spock), human being, alas, are not 100% rational creatures. Human beings, including the examiners, may get influenced by non-academic factors such as the student's appearance, dress, mannerism, etc.

This may affect how he dispenses marks or his attitude towards the student during the exam. An examiner with positive attitude might overlook minor errors and put the students at ease and increase his comfort level.

An examiner with negative attitude may castigate the students for minor errors, may upset the student with his strict demeanour, make the student uncomfortable effecting his ultimate performance.

A smart student even after good and regular study looks for non-academic means to improve his/her performance in exams.

Exam Tip

Some person's achievements make them a legend in their own life time. One such doctor had become a legend even during his MBBS study at AIIMS, New Delhi. He was brilliant student scoring 100% marks to near 100% marks in all his exams during MBBS. 

Well, not all exams. He did fail in one internal assessment exam of PSM (Preventive and Social Medicine) or Community Medicine. As is clear from its name PSM deals with the social, preventive, epidemiological aspects of diseases, unlike the treatment and drug-focused conventional medicine branches. Due to this, some action-centric medical students aspiring to become great clinicians under-estimate its importance and show an apathetic attitude towards its study.

Once when our legendary doctor was still a student, he was coming after a class from the PSM department of AIIMS, New Delhi. Their batch had been given some study material in the PSM class. On coming out of the department, the budding doctor looked disdainfully at handouts and threw them in a dustbin near the road.

Unfortunately, a senior resident of the PSM department saw this and reported it to the faculty members of the department.

The next exam came and true to what Charles Caleb Colton has so aptly said: 'Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer', our legendary doctor failed in his PSM exams.

Tip: Always respect your teachers.

Tip: Always respect the subject taught by your teachers.

Tip: Always respect those who can become your examiners in exam.

Tip: Even if you don't feel respect from your bottom of your heart for your teachers or the subject taught by them, never demonstrate or show externally your lack of respect, even when you feel no one is watching you.

(Based on true incident)

— ND
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DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purpose. The author does not promote or recommend any behaviour illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use of the information herein is at you one's own risk. Before trying to emulate or follow anything the reader is well advised to take into account ethical, moral, legal and other considerations. The author recommends that Medical Education should be of the highest ethical and moral level keeping in mind the interest of the patient as foremost and according to MCI and other Board’s norm. 

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