Tempus Fugit
I am reliably informed by Google that the above phrase is usually translated from the Latin as, “time flies”. At the end of my first year as Education Section Editor - the inaugural education section editor of the journal, no less- I can attest that it most definitely does. This year has been one of a series of firsts, and I will be eternally grateful for the many lessons I have learned as a result of being part of such an exciting new venture.
One of the things I have learned, or rather, gained a deeper appreciation for this year, is the immense capability of your average medical student to do a million things at once. Although I will never claim to be the best at this, over the course of this year I have seen my colleagues in the journal go above and beyond to balance their responsibilities as students, whilst also fully embracing their new roles as champions of this journal. Furthermore, with the high quality of submissions and the variety of locales from which these submissions have hailed, I am proud to be part of a truly global healthcare community that is devoted to the pursuit of clinical knowledge and acumen.
As a section editor, it has been an amazing privilege to learn more about the diverse range of research medical students from across our readership are engaged in. From explorations that aided my understanding of the MDT, to brushing up my literary skills as I was called upon to edit medically themed poetry, of all things, I have been tested and awed by the talent of my fellow students.
I have long been interested in medical education. I strongly believe that the content and means by which we educate medical students has a determining effect on the kind of doctors we hope to produce; in short, we create medics for the healthcare systems that we wish to inhabit. Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) is at the heart of current practice in the UK, so it behoves us as medical students to begin engaging with the core tenets of EBM as soon as we are able. Early introduction to the importance of EBM better allows us to always prioritise its inclusion as we develop and refine our clinical judgement. Referring back to the Latin title of this post, the word “Doctor” in its original Latin meant “Teacher”, from the noun “Docēre”, to teach. Forgive me for belabouring the point, but for a profession to draw its name from the idea of teaching is to put scholarship at its heart, and Evidence Based Medicine is just as much about the doctor as scholar as it is about the bedside management of patients.
As a result, the opportunity to become Education Section Editor was one I leapt at with both hands, but even I failed to appreciate beforehand how useful and wonderful an experience it would be. I now have a greater understanding of the peer review process, which previously seemed unfathomably complicated. I have learned that clear and frequent communication is key when liaising with people on opposite sides of the globe (and during electives!). I have also learned that editing is a true joy to me, that I enjoy reading through drafts and seeing them refined into a finished version that everyone can access.
It has been an absolute pleasure to be one of the Education Section Editors this year and I greatly look forward to continuing on in the role. I’m sure that I’ve got a great deal more to learn during my tenure, but I’m confident that the journey towards learning will be an amazing one.
