This statement is often heard by freshmen as they are ushered
into medical school[1], but it probably rings true for students in
nursing, dentistry, midwifery, physical therapy and other allied
medical professions as well. A lot of truth dwells in these words.
Just a few years ago, we thought that enlarged tonsils had to
be removed, pregnant mothers had to be shaved before delivery
and vitamin C enhanced immunity to respiratory tract infections.
These were non-debatable bits of ‘knowledge’ then. Today, they
are nothing more than sombre testimony to the fallibility of
the human mind. Our problem is not healthcare education per
se. Our problem is progress. Science evolves so fast that what we
know now will quickly be outdated if we don’t keep up with the
literature.