HUGHES AUDITORIUM – The Health and Society Review Panel released its findings to the M1 class via email about a month and a half or so ago. They decided that, in order to better encourage student participation during the weekly two hour lecture in lieu of small group sessions, it would be required best if we were to occupy only the first eight rows in Hughes. To the dismay of students who get anxious when sitting in the front of a lecture hall, this recommendation received little protest from the M1 class.

“We feel like students weren’t paying attention during Health and Society lectures,” one member of the Review Panel told Flipside reporters. “It’s all about generating a discussion.”

Although there might not have been much protest, there were certainly individuals who were critical of the Review Panel’s recommendation.

“We’re adults after all, you know,” Albert F. D. Superficialis pleaded to The Flipside. “Hey, if we want to participate, we’ll participate. We know how to appropriately handle ourselves and we are the ones that are ultimately responsible for our own education.”

While Albert makes a good point, what he forgets is that topics like health literacy, global health as it pertains to lungs, gallery walks, forcing us to participate in death panel kidney donations, and global health as it pertains to the renal unit are best internalized if we learn as a group. Best internalized only if our hands are held for us, instead of us trying to understand it on our own. No, being within sneezing distance of half of your medical school class is a far better way to learn. We should all realize that when it comes to motivating yourself to learn in medical school, having your hand held is the best method. We’re med students after all, who among us has an intrinsic desire and passion for knowledge and education?

To further solidify their holding hands approach (also being referred to as ‘The Kindergarten Method’), the H&S Review Panel has recently decided to institute a mandatory apple juice session after H&S lecture, followed by an hour nap. That is, only if you pick up all the toys first and put them back where they belong. Only then will you get your apple juice.