Sir, – Are the medical doyens of Trinity College Dublin having a laugh or what? I refer to Monday’s story by Cian O’Connell outlining how a Dublin university proposes to improve the overall quality of its medical graduates (“TCD medical students in line for assessment on ability to ‘love’”, April 20th).
Historically, we are all aware of medics who were highly qualified and passed all their exams with flying colours but sometimes lacked those human qualities that might be described as the “common touch”.
To be fair to academia, the Hpat was introduced to address that anomaly.
But now TCD is attempting to raise the bar higher with its misuse of the word “love”.
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I am constantly appalled by the way the English language continues to be battered and bruised, particularly by highly educated professionals who have been empowered to enlighten people like myself who hold the English language in the highest regard.
Dare I suggest that the word “love” be left outside the medical lecture theatre and that academics instead concentrate on the true meaning of empathy and understanding? – Yours, etc,
DAVID HARRINGTON
Seaview Road,
Wicklow.
Sir, – To see the mention of love in the heading of a report on the front page of The Irish Times on Monday morning was a good start to the week. In these troubled times of violence, war, killings etc it has to be acknowledged and I thank you.
Dr Claire Donohoe and Dr Colin Doherty, who are arguing for love’s inclusion as a core concept in the medical curriculum, said that “it was the first instance in Ireland of a medical school committing to love as a graduate outcome”. I feel that it would be important that, even at interview level for students, this issue should be addressed.
The late ProfJames McCormick, first head of the department of community health in Trinity and our esteemed chairman at the time, when taking questions from students a lifetime ago, responded: “I never heard the word ‘love’.” Stunned silence followed.
In these times, with more emphasis on outcomes reached by technology, box-ticking and very little eye contact in the delivery of services, especially in healthcare and public service in general, this issue needs to be addressed. – Yours, etc,
ALICE LEAHY,
Director of Services,
Alice Leahy Trust,
Dublin 8.
