Money is not everything students told!

[djspinnet]

Just thought I'd share the insights into the minds of my medical student friends.

Most of them prefer to study in Britain, because of these reasons:

1) They're unable to get a place in the local uni
2) It's difficult/almost impossible to get a place to do Masters/Specialization course after completing their housemanship, but easier to do so in Britain for them. I had a friend who had to resign from the Ministry of Health and go under the wings of the M of Edu instead in order to do her specialization
3) Job placements (for housemanships) in UK is merit-based, up till this year, when UK changed their policy from fully merit-based, to preference to European students over non-Europeans.

After UK's change of policy, less medical students (at least the horde who previously wanted to go there), changed their minds, because with that change of policy, UK's not set apart anymore, and they might as well just save money and go to Australia or something instead.

So I guess before this, UK was the hot choice not because of them having gone through Black Death or things like that and having more experience in the medical field. Anyone can do research on that and learn anything and bring that knowledge to anywhere in the world. Knowledge is not exclusive to just one place in the world..

[K B Ng]

Originally Posted by djspinnet

So I guess before this, UK was the hot choice not because of them having gone through Black Death or things like that and having more experience in the medical field. Anyone can do research on that and learn anything and bring that knowledge to anywhere in the world. Knowledge is not exclusive to just one place in the world..

I don't suppose it's that simple, otherwise we'd all be surgeons as far as knowledge is concerned, it can really get quite exclusive. It's a lot more difficult to learn something and be good at it, and then be able to practice or impart that knowledge. The thing is that they were the first, and so they have (or had) established a reputation.

[fyire]

Originally Posted by K B Ng

I don't suppose it's that simple, otherwise we'd all be surgeons as far as knowledge is concerned, it can really get quite exclusive. It's a lot more difficult to learn something and be good at it, and then be able to practice or impart that knowledge. The thing is that they were the first, and so they have (or had) established a reputation.

Don't know about you, but I'm of the opinion that what the black death accomplished the most was not advancing medical science, but demonstrated the importance of proper sanitation services, especially in crowded areas

[djspinnet]

Originally Posted by K B Ng

I don't suppose it's that simple, otherwise we'd all be surgeons as far as knowledge is concerned, it can really get quite exclusive. It's a lot more difficult to learn something and be good at it, and then be able to practice or impart that knowledge. The thing is that they were the first, and so they have (or had) established a reputation.

Actually.. you're contradicting yourself here..

You said,

Originally Posted by K B Ng

as far as knowledge is concerned, it can really get quite exclusive.

And then you went on saying..

Originally Posted by K B Ng

It's a lot more difficult to learn something and be good at it, and then be able to practice or impart that knowledge.

The fact that the knowledge was imparted makes it non-exclusive anymore.

Knowledge is *not* exclusive. Especially not medicine. Otherwise the medical schools in the rest of the world can just shut down and everyone go to UK and study

[K B Ng]

Originally Posted by djspinnet

The fact that the knowledge was imparted makes it non-exclusive anymore.

Um.. well you can charge a lot of money for the information. That would make it exclusive to those who can afford it.

Originally Posted by djspinnet

Knowledge is *not* exclusive. Especially not medicine. Otherwise the medical schools in the rest of the world can just shut down and everyone go to UK and study

I think we have a difference of definition here. Knowledge is not exclusive in and of itself, it's just that people chose to make it exclusive because they want to have some control over it, they want to use it as leverage. That's why I guess there are drug patents, and schools charge so much just to tell you stuff.

[djspinnet]

Originally Posted by K B Ng

Um.. well you can charge a lot of money for the information. That would make it exclusive to those who can afford it.

But it was still imparted to those who can

Are you trying to imply that people who paid to study something, cannot impart that same knowledge for free to other people?

Originally Posted by K B Ng

I think we have a difference of definition here. Knowledge is not exclusive in and of itself, it's just that people chose to make it exclusive because they want to have some control over it, they want to use it as leverage. That's why I guess there are drug patents, and schools charge so much just to tell you stuff.

I think you misunderstand what are patents. Patents does not lock down knowledge to the owner, it merely gives the owner of the patent the sole right to reproduce, make, or sell their idea/invention for a given amount of time.

And schools charge you not to teach you, but they charge because they need money to maintain facilities and pay their staff..

[K B Ng]

Originally Posted by djspinnet

But it was still imparted to those who can

Are you trying to imply that people who paid to study something, cannot impart that same knowledge for free to other people?

They can, but most of the time I think they don't. Anyway my point was (and is) this -- that knowledge can be free, but often is not because of various factors. People have expenses and these need to be met. Anyway I'll start a new thread, this is going way off center already.

Originally Posted by djspinnet

I think you misunderstand what are patents. Patents does not lock down knowledge to the owner, it merely gives the owner of the patent the sole right to reproduce, make, or sell their idea/invention for a given amount of time.

And schools charge you not to teach you, but they charge because they need money to maintain facilities and pay their staff..

New thread here : http://forums.rojakpot.com/showthread.php?t=20634