Medical student uses teddy bear, raw meat to practice skills

A medical student has been using a teddy bear and raw meat to practice her skills amid the pandemic.

In Mariz Umali’s “24 Oras” report Thursday, fourth year junior intern medical student Daphne Ibarra used a big teddy bear to simulate a baby’s delivery.

The video showed her saying, “mommy, I can already see the head. Push,” to the teddy bear, which served as a replacement for a woman giving birth.

For stitching wounds, meanwhile, she used raw chicken meat.

Daphne said at this stage, she should have been working at a hospital. However, face-to-face classes are still prohibited due to the COVID-19 threat.

She said she was concerned about finishing her studies with limited experience due to online classes.

“I’m scared to graduate with only online classes because acquiring skills from face-to-face classes in a hospital is still different,” she said in Filipino.

“I’m hoping that we could have actual interactions with a real patient because I feel like we’ll suffer in the future.”

She added that although students like her were equipped “theoretically,” they were not confident when it came to their skills.

Like Daphne, professors were also worried about holding online classes for medical students.

“There should be physical examinations where they’ll hold parts of the human body,” said Dr. Mark Sta. Maria, professor at Ateneo School of Medicine & Public Health.

“If online classes will continue, we can see that medical students will suffer because, of course, they aren’t used to physical examinations,” he said.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) also expressed concern that that there would not be enough competent professionals at a time they were needed most.

“We need to understand that schools should also be considered as economic activity,” said CHED Chairperson Prospero dVera III.

The Ateneo School of Medicine & Public Health was one of the schools allowed to conduct limited face-to-face classes in May.

However, it did not push through because the NCR Plus area was again placed under modified enhanced community quarantine. – Franchesca Viernes/RC, GMA News