Corruption In Egypt’s Medical Schools — Part 2
Last edited: May 2, 2006 – 7:18 GMT
Well, I’ve already written the first part, and – encouraged by a citizen of my country – I thought I’d write more parts. Yeah… more to come. Don’t be surprised. There is a lot of corruption here in Egypt, in all the fields you’d imagine.
Now that I’ve just finished my practical medical examinations (or let me name it the so-called practical exams), I think I have some points of corruption in my head that need to get out.
First, I just don’t understand why we do need to memorize all the shapes and looks of snails, and worms in the science of Parasitology. Aren’t we supposed to be doctors in the future, and not lab workers?! I just don’t get it. Diagnosis and Treatment of parasitic infections are more than enough for a medical student. Anyways, that was the first exam. And as usual, there isn’t a specific time for the exam to start at. You can arrive at 8 am, but not enter before 10. Sometimes I go a little bit late (like 9:30) to find that they have finished. Random stuff like tat makes you confused.
Then, when you make your way to the lab to actually take the exam, you will be randomly seated or just kept standing in front of a jar, slide, or a specimen, which is numbered. There are other guys and girls too, and everyone stands in front of a thing. Oh I forgot.. you pay L.E. 2 for your examination paper! OK, not a big deal. The instructor then comes to you, say some instructions, and then the exam starts. We have to identify the thing, and then type down its name, description,..etc on the paper. Then the guy says “Change..!“, so everyone moves to the next thing. But on what basis does that instructor tells us to move? He doesn’t look at his watch at all (if he even has one at all). Does he randomly say so? Sadly, it seems this is what happens.
The next exams had written/academical parts in them. Aren’t they practical exams? Why do they do that? I don’t know, but it seems the staff is obsessed with academical parts — a lot of it — because seemingly, this is the only thing they’re good at, for it’s easily memorized, and the mind doesn’t contribute to anything of it. Plus, that way, they fill up a lot of questioning space that they do not know any other way to fill, for the practical stuff is very limited.
Another day In the Pathology exam: there is so much injustice, because each group is examined on a group of different specimens and slides. And it’s well-known that there is a wide fluctuation in difficulty throughout the pieces. Plus, who still use live specimens for examination? Isn’t there an old innovation called ‘The Computer’? Why wouldn’t they just let us take the test on PCs?
Sometimes you find that the view is blurry in a microscope, you try to adjust the lenses, mirrors (yeah, they still provide the non-electric light microscope),…etc. This wastes a lot of time, while the God-damned guy is shouting “Change, Change..!“.
What’s definite is that really.. a lot of things need a HUGE change.
my understanding is that in practice, you will actually have to do all kinds of worm-recognizing work
but ish3arafny,
Well, that's the lab work. As doctors, what we need to know is the symptoms, signs, and treatment to each parasitic disease.
You have a nice blog by the way!
Hii, am Ali and am in the 2nd year of Dentistry College, well i have a comment but i mean no offense at all,
Well, Dr. Haisook, actually i want to ask you about a something in the first part but i figured it would be better to send it here,
.
how ever on earth western people are going to use these information for there benefit???
they already have tons of briliant universities and up-to-date systems. Also, most of egyptian students or who else study here know most of those facts or corruptions as you said, so i think its good to express your self but they already know about it, so why don’t you think of suggestions and take the hard way to make the HUGE change as you said instead of mentioning things most of us already know it and dreaming of the day when its going to be changed. You seem like a good thinking guy, and believe me, there are many of brilinat minds here in Egypt and we all know that, so try to start solving some problems one by one, take suggestions from your website readers.
And one last thing, why do you think that most of the western people are the Internet users???????!!!!
Well, they even don’t have half of the problems many people here in Egypt have like poverty, lack of learning, crimes and many things, that what made you and me from the few who surf, because kind of, our essential needs are fulfilled and i thank Holy God for that , am not saying that our country and country men are bad, no, i’m just saying that there are many systems and problems here need to be changed and to do that we gotta work hard hand in hand in order to make a better future.
By the way, its my first participation here
Thanks for reading my comment and replying.
Have a good day!
Dr. Ali Degoy
Hi Dr Ali Degoy,
Welcome to my humble blog. Hope you’ve enjoyed your visit.
Firstly, as you’ve said, expressing one’s self is good thing, let me say: a healthy thing. Secondly, I think that though most – not all – of us know such negative things, we all have to say them out loud, everyday and every night in order to improve ourselves. For someone to correct a mistake he/she must know what exactly the mistake is, write it down, and then think of a way to correct/avoid it.
I’ve actually met many, not to say a few, Egyptian people who think Egypt’s universities are among the best in the world. They strongly believe that we’re good, or at least not bad. Many people here do not know what western universities look like, or how they are managed. Not all people have long sight, nor they try to search for the truth.
So the first step now is to list our drawbacks and negativities. I’m pretty glad actually that this step is being implemented widely in the newspapers and on TV.
As to the second part of your questions, which is why I don’t give suggestions and try myself to change, I’d like to say that suggestions are already there within the meaning of my speech e.g. I criticized the absence of precise due time for oral exams; this means I suggest precise due times!
Now let’s come to the part of CHANGING. I, nor you, nor anybody else can change anything here at present. We’re living in a severe dictatorship-directed nation, and everyone who’s not a leader is a servant. When you’re just a servant you can’t change anything. You just keep your mouth shut. Thankfully, I’ve decided not to keep my mouth shut – at least online – so that I don’t collapse. So let’s talk, dream, and point out our mistakes until the time comes when we can do more than this.
I’m just saying the truth. It’s statistics.
I’m sorry but that’s just some worthless speech that they keep telling us on TV. Our country is bad? Yes. Our country men are bad? Yes. Just saying that we have to work hard, hand in hand,..etc is lame. We need precise planning, just management, and the most important thing; taking thing seriously. We’re among the most corrupt and poor countries in the world! Do you get that? We’re crap. We all have to know that.
To sum it up, changing how things go on in our country is a very, very difficult task. Let’s just hope days get better than they are.
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