rev bras ortop.2016;51(2):119–120
w w w . r b o . o r g . b r
Editorial
Educate
and
teach:
a
strange
habit
Educar
e
ensinar:
um
estranho
hábito
Toeducateandteachone’sarttosomeoneisoneofthemost nobleattitudeswithinhumanrelationsandwasemphasized byHippocratesinourcelebratedoath:
“Toholdthe personwho taughtmethisartinasmuch esteemasmyownparents;tomakemylifeincommon withhimand,ifnecessary,tosharemyassetswithhim;to regardhischildrenasmyownsiblings;andtoteachthem thisart,iftheyshouldneedtolearnit,without remunera-tionandwithoutanywrittencommitment.”
Thedegreeofrecognitionofthisdemonstrationofcivism andloveisgenerallysmallandpoor.
Primary-schoolteachersareamongthegraduate employ-ment categories withthe lowestremuneration. Secondary-school teachers often abandon teaching for some other activity.
University teachers go through extensive competitive examinationstoachieve theirpositions.However, universi-tiesremuneratethematsalarylevelsthataresolowthatthey are usuallynottaken into consideration.It iscommon for universityteachersnottoknowtheamountoftheirsalaries, especiallyinpublicuniversities.
Consideringpublicpolicies,theyaresoridiculousthatwe aresituatedamongtheworstcountriesintheworldinall eval-uationsonthequalityofeducation,yetwecallourselvesan “educatingcountry”.
Thesepointsrelatetoeducationalprofessionals,buteven inourdailyactivities,wecontinuetoeducateandteachand wearealsolittlerecognized.
Thosewhotrainresidents,whoformthebasisofour spe-cialty,areunknownandatnotimeenjoyanyhighlightingor additionalrespect.Theygivemanyhoursofdedicationand patience,directedtowardsteachingthepracticesofour spe-cialty,whichareforgottenbystudentsandheadsofservices, withoutanyrecognitionforthcoming.Thefigureofthe precep-tor,whoisresponsibleforbroad(“latusensu”)postgraduate programs,islittleknownandneverreceivesanyspecialhonor. Thesearegenerallyselflessindividualswhodedicatethestart oftheirprofessionallivesandasignificantpartoftheirtime,to teachingandcoaxingtheyoungeststudentsintothehabitof
studyingandpreparingthemselvesforprofessionallife,which willgivethemfullsupportfortheirfuturefamilylife.
Inadditiontothiscontinuingday-to-daybasiceducation withlittlerecognition,thereistheactivityofcontinuing med-icaleducation,withactionsatcongressesandthroughtalks.
Continuingmedicaleducationnotonlyisunremunerated butalsoisfoughtoverinsomesituationswithsomedegree of ferocity. Something makes talk-givers truly addicted to presenting their classes,with teaching material ofvarying degreesofsophisticationanddubioustaste,inthestrangest and most distant of locations, to heterogenous audiences withoutremunerationorrecognition.Theybelievethatthis exposuretotheirpeerswillbringsomebenefit,although with-outhavinganywayofevaluatingtherealbenefitthatthese classeswillbring.Absenceofaninvitationtogiveaclass gen-erallysignifiesgreatoffense.
Therearetalk-giverswhotravelformanymorehoursthan theyspendonthetimeoftheirpresentations,andthisisan internationalhabit,whichisperhapsacharacteristicof doc-torswhogivetalks.Itisnotrareforforeignerswhogivetalks toarriveinthemorning,givetheirtalksandreturntotheir countriesontheeveningofthesameday.
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rev bras ortop.2016;51(2):119–120Writersandeditorsaretwotypesofselflessindividualsto whomweowetheexistenceoftheRBOfor51years.
These strange habits affect a considerable number of people, without any plausible explanation for them, and they are seen frequently withinthe medical profession in particular.
Toeducateandteachwithoutanyevidentreturnisperhaps abehavioraldeviationthathasapositivemanifestation.We willleaveittopsychiatriststoanalyzeus,sinceIhaveto fin-ishpreparingmyclassesforthenextcongressandreviewthe studiesforthenextissueoftheRBO.
Conflicts
of
interest
Theauthordeclaresnoconflictsofinterest.
