Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-10-05
OFFICER OF AMER, MED. ASSN.
PRAISES CLINICAL TEACHING
AT UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Charlottesville, Va, Oct 5.-Dr. N,
P. Colwell, secretary of the Council
On Medical Education and Hospitals
of the American Medical Association,
upon the basis of whose official in
spection once every two years the
medical schools Of the country are
given their ranking, has recently writ
ten expressing his opinion upon the
clinical material and the method using
it in medical teaching at the UniVers.
ity Of Virginia.
No man in the country is in such
close touch with medical education nor
better qualified to express an authori-
tatiye opinion as to the relative eff.
cheney Of clinical teaching In different
schools. Dr. Colwelrs letter removes
all doubt as to the adequateness OF
clinical material available for use at
the University of Virginia and his high
praise Of the University's medical
school cannot be overlooked. DR.; Cox
we'll bases his opinion upon five inspec-
tons Of the medical department of the
University since 1907. His letter fol-
lows:
"In response to your letter of Sep
TENDER II 1 am pleased to make the
following statement in regard to elm
ical material and clinical teaching IN
the University of Virginia Department
Of medicinal statement based on the
conditions found at the five different
inspections which have been made OF
that institution since 1907.
THE hospital clinical material at
Charlottesville, in both quantity and
quality, meets the minimum require
ment of the Council on Medical Edu
cation. AS to quantity the inspectors
found that the difficulty was not in
securing more patients but In finding
room for them. By providing more
space it was evident that the number
Of hospital patients would largely ex-
coed the daily average Of 220-the
number found on the last inspection.
"a more important matter, however,
in the opinion OF the inspectors was
the extent and thoroughness with
which the clinical material in the Uni.
versity Hospital was used for medical
instruction. The University Of Flr'
GINA Department of Medicine was one
Of a score of medical schools which
were the earliest TO adopt the more
modern methods of clinical instruction
by the use of bedside section clinics
and the assignment Of patients TO
senior students who wrote the his.
tories; made physical examinations, in.
Guiding the essential laboratory in
vestigations; and who regularly visited
the patients assigned to them and kept
a careful check on the course Of the
diseases and the results of the treat.
ment given.
"Since the first inspection in 1907,
the University of Virginia Department
OF Medicine has always stood in the
Councils highest rank of medical
schools, even being the A plus class
between 1912 and 1915, when that spe'
cial classification was used. This rat
ing was given because Of the potent
educational atmosphere in which all
medical teaching was conducted; the
high type Of medical teachers en-
I ployed; the unquestioned care with
which the rules covering the admission
and promotion of students were admin
/ istered; the thorough manner in which
students work was supervised; and
the unusually we'll arranged routine of
/ clinical instruction.
Even though the quantity Of out
patient material was not as large as
that possessed by some medical
schools, this was more than Offset, in
the opinion Of the inspectors. by an
ample supply of hospital material, By
the excellent use made of it, and the
invaluable clinical training which the
students secured therefrom. In fact
in the various surveys OF medical col
leges, the inspectors had frequent oc
casion to suggest to other institutions
that they adopt the methods Of clinical
instruction followed in the University
of Virginia Department OF Medicine.
whatever may be the outcome OF
the proposed plan to merge the two
medical Schools OF Virginia. il is to be
hoped that nothing will hinder the con
tinuation and further development o!
the excellent methods Of clinical in
struction which are now being en-
ployed II your medical school"