Abstract
Background: Basic science departments in academic medical centres are influenced by changes that are commonly directed at medical education and financial gain. Some of such changes may have been detrimental to or may have enhanced basic science education. They may have determined basic science research focus or basic science research methods. However, there is lack of research on the educational process in the basic sciences including training of PhD’s while there is ample research on medical education pertaining to training of medical doctors.
Methods: The author here identifies, from university websites and available literature, some forces that have driven teaching and research focus and methods in state-of-the-arts academic medical centres in recent times with a view of seeing through their possible influences on basic science education and research, using the United States of America as an example.
Results: The “forces” are: Changes in medical schools; Medical educational philosophies: problem based learning, evidence based medicine, cyberlearning and self-directed learning; Shifting impressions of the value of basic sciences in medical schools; Research trends in Basic Sciences: role of antivivisectionists, alternative experimentations, explosion of molecular and cell biology; Technological advancements; Commercialization of research; and Funding agencies.
Conclusion: The author encourages African leaders in academia to pay attention to such forces as the leadership seeks to raise African Universities as centres of knowledge that have a major role in acquiring, preserving, imparting, and utilizing knowledge.
Keywords: Biomedical science, basic medical science, biomedical research, basic medical science education
Résumé
Les départements des sciences fondamentales dans les centres académiques médicaux sont influences par les changements qui sont communément dirigés vers l’éducation médicale et le gain financier. Quelques de ces changements peuvent être détrimentaux ou améliorer l’éducation des sciences fondamentales. Elles peuvent avoir déterminés la recherche sur la science fondamentale ou sur la méthodologie en science fondamentale. Cependant, il y a un manque de recherche sur les processus éducationnels dans les sciences fondamentales inclus la formation des doctorants, bien qu’il y a d’ample recherché en éducation médicale liés à la formation des médecins. Cette étude identifie des sites internet universitaires et des littératures, quelques forces pouvant aider à l’enseignement et la recherche focalisée et sur les méthodes de l’art dans les centres médicaux académiques contemporains ayant pour objectif de voir l’influence sur l’éducation des sciences fondamentales et la recherche utilisant les états Unis d’Amérique comme un exemple. Les forces sont: les changements dans les institutions médicales, les philosophies médicales éducationnelles, Apprentissage à partir d’un problème et la médecine par évidence, Apprentissage à l’internet et apprentissage personnel; les impressions variées de la valeur des sciences de fondamentales en Médecine;les recherches courantes en sciences fondamentales, le rôle des antivivisectionnistes, expérimentations, explosion de la biologie moléculaire et de la biologie cellulaire; les avancées technologiques; la commercialisation de la recherche; et les institutions de financements. L’auteur encourage les leaders Africains en académie de revoir ses forces afin d’augmenter les performances dans les universités africaines comme des centres d’acquisition, préservation, de partage et d’utilisation des connaissances.
Correspondence: Dr. T.A. John, Department of Pharmacology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, PMB 21266, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. E-mail: theresaadebola@yahoo.com
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