Title |
The Treachery of Images: How René Magritte Informs Medical Education
|
---|---|
Published in |
Journal of General Internal Medicine, December 2010
|
DOI | 10.1007/s11606-010-1581-9 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Delese Wear, Joseph Zarconi |
Abstract |
Using René Magritte's well-known painting The Treachery of Images (This is not a pipe), we argue that the current focus on competencies throughout medical education can sometimes lead educators to rely too heavily on scores, checkmarks, or other forms of assessment that come to be viewed as equivalents for the actual existence of what is being measured. Magritte insisted that the image he created on the canvas was not a pipe but rather a representation of a pipe, an important distinction for educators to remember as we seek ways to evaluate trainees' attainment of the fundamental knowledge and skills of the profession. We also urge that the focus on broader skills, values, flexibility, reflection, and insight development should fall outside the net of a competency orientation in a supportive environment spared from traditional assessment methods, using a classroom in undergraduate medical education as an example of working toward this end. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 3 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Scientists | 1 | 33% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 33% |
Members of the public | 1 | 33% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 2 | 5% |
Canada | 1 | 3% |
Unknown | 34 | 92% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Lecturer | 6 | 16% |
Professor > Associate Professor | 4 | 11% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 3 | 8% |
Researcher | 3 | 8% |
Student > Bachelor | 3 | 8% |
Other | 13 | 35% |
Unknown | 5 | 14% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 15 | 41% |
Social Sciences | 6 | 16% |
Arts and Humanities | 4 | 11% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 2 | 5% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 1 | 3% |
Other | 4 | 11% |
Unknown | 5 | 14% |