THE government’s directives regarding closure of educational institutions in the wake of second wave of Covid-19 are indeed welcome. Prevention is better than cure, and nothing can be more sensible than reverting to online classes.

No intermingling of students means no spread of the virus. This has been implemented for almost all categories of academic institutions. The postponement of annual examinations is also indicative of the fact that the government is prioritising health over all other things.

However, medical colleges are to remain open. I am a fourth year MBBS student facing a conundrum. The students who are currently attending clinical classes are expected to attend their respective wards and classrooms. This poses a huge problem.

These students interact directly with potential carriers of the coronavirus. Even the most preliminary investigations that are expected to be performed by every student consist of requesting the patient to comply with certain instructions.

Examination of the mouth, eyes and nose is a fundamental concept in any clinical examination. Needless to say, medical students have now become used to putting up with patients casually coughing and sneezing at them.

We are at a stage when we need to learn how to treat a patient. Our examinations have been postponed and our lectures have gone virtual. What was the reason for these dramatic steps if we are to expose ourselves directly to the patients?

With the government prioritising health of its citizens over all other things, why are medical students being forced into the pit when they can easily avoid the fall? Just like our examinations have been delayed, the clinical rotations should also be left out.

After all, we are not doctors yet, and our activities during those clinical rotations do not have any impact on the patients’ lives whatsoever. The students, however, are affected very much. When these students have the young and the elderly at home, the problem just exacerbates.

Desperate times need desperate measures. Postponement of the annual examinations is indeed a huge step at the university level. But is it even worth it when students are getting exposed a month before examinations … especially when this exposure can be curtailed?

Anonymous
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2020