Medicine needs multiple methods of learning. Cognitive part needs most attention at undergraduate level

1. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• By – Dr. N.K. Gupta
*Prof of General Surgery, Emergency Medicine
and Cardiothoracic Surgery
**M.B.,B.S,; M.S.; M. Ch (CMC, Vellore),
ACME, FIACS, PGDHHM,
• Dr. Uma Gupta
*Head & Prof. Obstetrics & Gynecology
*M.D, MARD, FAIMER (CMCL 2012), PGDHHM,

2. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
•INTRODUCTION

3. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• Medicine is individualized learning and
training process and as now proposed
competency based medical education where
assessment will be criterion referenced so the
assessor/examiners have to ensure that the
learner has achieved in all domains the
minimum required to be labeled as competent
to serve the community .

4. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• In all domains, knowledge remains primary or
basic need as it will be required in all other
domains, more so in skills domains. Therefore,
it is mandatory to have sound knowledge,
even if Millers pyramid is taken into account.
This will be best academic use of technology
(Universal now among students) which usually
drives them crazy in current times, even by
low achievers.

5. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• Medicine needs multiple revisions for must
know areas specially for low achievers to
cover the vast syllabus and each time it is not
feasible in the program schedule to conduct
repeat or revision classes. One answer to this
is use of m learning as learners of today freely
use it in day to day life- in other words follow
“If They Don't Learn the Way You Teach, Teach
the Way They Learn” 2009 Jacquie McTaggart

6. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• WHO IS LOW ACHIEVERS –
• Medical council of India advocates 50% pass
marks so this can be treated as cut off.
•OR
• Depending upon criteria, one can decide –
Topic wise and subject wise
• As for competency based medical education
with integration as advocated from this
academic year – multiple discipline covering
one topic or disease or system can be
selected.

7. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• CONDUCT PRETEST
• Usually pretest will comprise of 15 MCQ from the
planned topic and 06 structured short answer
questions.
• These questions must cover Must Know
component of Must Know Topics – usually of
clinical significance or of basic science.
• Medical Council of India also recommends these
two formats as main assessment tools for
cognitive domains.
• These can cover problem solving and scenario
based MCQs and SAQs – in phases so that
students do not feel burdened.

8. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• Posting of study material at whatsapp group
• Select standard book like Bailey and Love’s
short practice of surgery, which is having
simple language and all students buy so that
for further clarification can consult the book.
• The study material preferably can be edited
relevant to target group.
• There will be summary points.

9. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• Each week one topic is posted – Avoiding the
period when they have internal or external
examinations.
• Encourage them to ask questions – Peers as
well as Teachers. Both can answer and clarify.
• In undergraduate education – Avoid cognitive
load. Too much contents will further
discourage the low achievers.

10. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• POST TEST-
• WHEN - It should be conducted after each
topic so that low achievers do not feel
burdened. At the same time further strategy
can be planned to teach by other methods –
Early diagnosis and planning.
• The questions can be repeated partly (May be
one third) and rest will be new questions to
assess the role of guess work and overlooking.

11. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• The student assessment must be recorded and
portfolio prepared.
• The questions and answers must be posted on
college website OR can prepare batchwise
website.
• In case of problem solving or scenario based
questions, the solutions must be interactively
discussed so that rote memory approach is
replaced by comprehension

12. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• FEEDBACK AND FEEDFORWARD
• Encourage students for their opinion as they
are important stakeholders.

13. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
• This study done by us has resulted in
significant improvement of cognitive domain –
An essential requirement for all other domains
– What the mind does not know, eyes cannot
see , as the saying goes.

14. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
•WHAT NEXT

15. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
•Use of advance
organiser
•Use of Programmed
instruction
•Use of Decision thinking
process

16. Whatsapp for low achievers for medical undergraduates
•THANK
YOU