The recent controversial issue on the dengue vaccination program in the Philippines has led me to research about such terms as “antibody-dependent enhancement” and clinical research phase studies. Reading the news, I realize that the public will probably need a translator with all the technical terms used, but the issues boil down to questioning due diligence and social preparation, searching for evidence for safety of the vaccine, and need for further research on the proper precautions and procedures prior to administering the vaccine in a local mass vaccination program. Not all medical doctors will understand the jargon of research and epidemiology, because not all doctors participate in research activities. Most doctors and medical students actually tend to gravitate away from anything that sounds like research. What would explain this common attitude?
It was Dr Ourlad Tantengco @drladstantengco who first asked the questions about the state of research and publication in UP Manila on his facebook page last December 12, 2016. I realized when we were preparing for the PAASCU accreditation in our own medical school that there is a dirth of faculty members conducting research. Hence, we ask the questions about strategies in promoting a research environment in our medical schools and how we can catch up with our counterparts in foreign universities where most research and publication come from medical/health colleges.
Join us on Saturday, December 17, 2016 at 9PM MLA / 9AM EST as we discuss how we can promote a research environment in medical schools.
T1. How can we promote an environment of research in medical schools?
T2. What aspects of research should be taught in medical school?
T3. In the age of evidence-based medicine, should all doctors be researchers? Why?
