The HSIP program that I attended was also very valuable. The program gave me an unusual and broad exposure to the enormity and the diversity within medicine that I had not appreciated beforehand. It presented me each week with doctors from different specialties, their unique perspectives, and expertise, which really showed me what different careers in medicine entailed.
To me, the most influential part of HSIP has to be the weekly sessions by doctors from all varieties of medicine. It was nothing near a lecture or anything; really able to sit down and discuss what it’s like to practice medicine in each specialty. From cardiology to neurology, through oncology to pediatrics, each one has given their knowledge and time but also shared personal experiences and obstacles of practicing in their field. These interactions provided a holistic view about medicine, emphasizing that this field is not monolithic but a complex, highly intertwined web of disciplines in service to the patient.
The cardiologist session elaborated on the complexities of the heart and its diseases, as well as current state-of-the-art modalities used for diagnosis and treatment. The next week, it was a neurologist who spoke about the mysteries of the human brain and research currently in process for the understanding of neurological disorders. It was these rather contrasting insights that underlined the diversity of the medical field and how each specialty requires many special skills, knowledge, and approaches. This has exposed me to so many different specialties that I was previously oblivious to, hence diversifying what was earlier perceived as a very radical narrow scope within medicine as generally defined by the very stereotypical and clichéd doctor who is sensationally visualized in film and television series.
HSIP has also not been oriented solely toward practical medicine, but with an emphasis on research as playing a key role in the advancement of knowledge for medicine and more effective health care for patients. Reviewing and analyzing research articles was one of the most valuable skills learned throughout the program. This has been possible by learning multiple methods from our mentors on how to present reviews of the quality and validity of scientific studies on health topics. We have learned how to dissect a research article by reading it, analyzing it, interpreting data, and presenting what has been learned from it. It was an arduous process but at the same time very rewarding, as it has taught me to view scientific literature with a critical eye and realize that there is a need for evidence-based medicine.
Course instructors further emphasized this with actual practices in exercises to apply techniques we learned on real research articles. We got guided through the processes identifying biases, understanding statistical analyses, and questions about how authors came to their conclusions. This was an invaluable experience, for it improved my analytical skills and furthered respect for the rigorous scientific process underlying modern medicine. It became very clear to me that staying updated on research and being able to critically evaluate new information makes all the difference for a practicing health professional.
In the final analysis, what the Health Science Immersion Program not only showed me various fields of medicine, it taught me how to review and understand complicated research papers. Represented in an integral way by doctors from many specialty areas, the immersion course represented the different areas within the medical field and the problems and rewards involved. Furthermore, the research and critical analysis skills taught through this program will also help me a lot in my further studies and career. HSIP has broadened my view of what it means to be a doctor.
8/8/2024
