One of the biggest fears for a student graduating medical school and entering their residency is forgetting the things they learned in medical school. In no field do students retain 100% of what they are taught, it’s considered fortunate to recall a mere 20%, in fact. However, how does this bode for people entering the high-stakes field of medicine?
Forbes released an article that interviewed Mitul Mehta, MD at UC Irvine. He gave a pretty unique response on the subject, claiming
“It depends on the individual and what field they are in. I think it is all in there somewhere, and having learned it the first time makes it a lot easier to recall it if needed. We are constantly learning in medicine.”
His response stemmed from the belief that the medical field is constantly changing and doctors already have to relearn to keep up with new technology. For the most part, Dr. Mitul Mehta makes a very valid point. Doctors, even those that have just graduated will be thrown into an environment of learning as technology and medical techniques continue to advance.
Doctors have a lot of support and resources to keep up with these advances as well. These often take the form of medical education lectures that teach and reteach important things which may have been forgotten during or after medical school training.
The doctor also notes the powerful skills that medical school teaches to help students research what’s needed in the most effective way possible, they become “lifelong learners.”
Bottom line, it’s okay to forget some things in medical school. The human mind can only retain so much. For that reason, medical facilities have organized systems to help people relearn what they have forgotten and acquire new skills as well.