The Accra College of Medicine (ACM) has emphasized the importance of taking patients’ medical histories seriously to ensure effective treatment.
A medical history is a comprehensive record detailing all illnesses, treatments, past conditions, surgeries, injuries, familial medical history, allergies, lifestyle factors, and living conditions.
Dr. Priscilla Vandyck-Sey, Consultant Family Physician and Head of Department at the Korle-Bu Polyclinic, who was speaking the eighth White Coat ceremony in Accra, highlighted the crucial role of medical history in diagnosis.
She noted that that vital skill was often overlooked but could be critical in determining outcomes for patients.
Dr. Vandyck-Sey stressed that understanding a patient’s past health was essential for their current and future well-being, urging students and clinicians to avoid shortcuts in their practice, regardless of the circumstances.
“Do not document anything you haven’t done or observed,” the Family Physician stated.
The white coat ceremony marks the transition from pre-clinical education to hands-on patient interactions, symbolizing the acquisition of theoretical knowledge.
It aims to instill a sense of professionalism and responsibility in medical students, representing their commitment to care and the beginning of a lifelong journey in the healthcare profession.
Dr. Vandyck-Sey emphasized the importance of medical history as an indispensable tool for quality healthcare delivery.
She stressed that students should not falsify medical history but rather ask questions if they do not understand anything and counsel patients if possible.
Dr. Vandyck-Sey urged medical students to learn from all members of the medical community, be open to admitting and correcting their mistakes, and exhibit good ethical principles by respecting the anatomy of patients irrespective of their tribe and religion.
Reverend Professor Adokwei Hesse, Vice President of ACM, advised students to see patients in four dimensions: physical, mental, social, and spiritual as part of modern medical practice.
He emphasized that the White Coat ceremony marked the entry into the medical profession and urged students to act as professionals.
GNA