If it's so meaningless, then no one should should have to pass it. If it means something then everyone should have to pass it, no exceptions.

But, it's not clear that dyslexia, or the multiple-guess test, has anything to do with this.

Ex: I have a friend who's dyslexic. He's also a paramedic. His writing and spelling are atrocious. He's not what one might call "book smart." But, he's a damn fine medic. He knows as much medicine as many of the doctors with whom he works.

Should he be restrained from his career because he struggles with dyslexia?

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

The world is not as black and white as you seem to want to make it.

Maybe we should require all surgeons to pee their names in the snow - it demonstrates a certain level of hand-eye coordination.

Oh? It's tough for the women? Has little to do with medicine? Too bad.

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Well you should get at least 25% on a multipul choice exam-I got 55% putting just C's down once. But anyways, I actually find them extreamly difficult-its hard to explain why but its sort of not being able to tell which box is which-I have to spend an extra 30 seconds on each question just working out whats what.

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I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. - Art of War, Sun-Tzu, Chapter 2, Paragraph 6

"An eye for an eye makes everyone blind"-Gandi

That's why I see no problem with accomodating students such as yourself with more time. I have a hard time thinking of a situation other than actually taking a multiple choice exam where experiencing these effects of dyslexia would be a detriment in a real-life situation.

Also, although grading multiple choice exams are obviously easy, actually making a good multiple choice question is quite hard. It's easier to ask a question and allow the student to answer it in their own words and/or work.

But, for mass exams, there is little that is practical about having to grade that many non-multiple choice exams. Accomodating these students is much more practical.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

Another point, and now that I have looked at the links with more attention, this student is not just suing for herself, she is suing to get multiple choice exams banned. Also there is no mention whether she was accomodated or not with extra time.

First, as I stated, given the number of exams that needs grading, it is not practical to have another sort of exam. The grading load would be too high and not practical at all.

Second, it would be nice to know if she was accomodated or not and if she was, if she passed. If she was accomodated and she passed, what's her practical beef? If she was accomodated and failed, she probably should have.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

Damn it...

... you just made me spray coffee all over my monitor!

She wasn't according to the Beeb...

We manage to grade a lot of written papers with A-levels over here (in the subject I do anyway-they're all written) and I don't see why that shouldn't happen.

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I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. - Art of War, Sun-Tzu, Chapter 2, Paragraph 6

"An eye for an eye makes everyone blind"-Gandi

I'm not sure how your disbilities act work, but if she had been here, she had a right to a time accomodation (as long as she produced official documentation showing the existence of her disability - from a physician, for example).

My subject does not lend itself to multiple choice exams, so we graded written. As a grad student, 12 grad students and the prof would spend an entire day grading 300 exams. That's a lot man-hours spent on grading a midterm or final.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

This is cultural phenomenon, where the rules of the chosen method of testing, become more important than the real goal of the testing. Especially when the testing methods are older than the faculty, and every faculty member went through those methods in their career, it becomes a "sacred ritual" which is ascribed greater value than it actually delivers.

We develop ways to screen large numbers of people, that work for the most part if we look at the totals, but may be unfair for certain individuals, there will always be anecdotes about people who would made fine doctors but are disqualified because they have difficulties with multiple choice exams, and there will also be examples of people who are really not suited to be doctors who have their medical licenses because they have excellent skills for taking multiple choice exams.

It looks unfair to this woman, but on the other hand, if she was accommodated, then someone else would have had the "highest mark that missed the cut", and that person would then have a story that sounded terribly unfair.

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FDR's second Inaugural Address

She doesn't need a lawsuit. She needs a slap.

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"I do not believe that gay marriage should be legal."
- John McCain on the same episode of Hardball, after the commercial break

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- Tucker Bounds, Spokesman of the John McCain presidential campaign.

The straight talk express. You gotta love it.

Perhaps she could find a rewarding career in either the hospitality or food service industries. Most of the people who work in those jobs around here can't read English, either...

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Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

That was my point. If the test is useful in determining who should qualify as a doctor, then everyone should have to pass. If it isn't, then no one should, whether or not they're dyslexic. If peeing your name in the snow (gotta ask, how'd you come up with that example?) has little to do with medicine, then it's not a valid test, for anyone.

As the journalist from the Times said in the OP, a doctor who would have difficulty distinguishing between 81mg and 18mg is a liability.

Strange things pop into one's mind after a few Scot ales.

Realistically, I don't know how much liability that is. Most medicines are not prescribed in such a way, and there is always a backup to check your dosing.

In emergency situations, medicines are dispensed and color coded in such a way that it's very easy to tell what's what, and the dosing is appropriate (i.e., the syringe will be a different volume, but the dosage is a single syringe). Honestly, depending on the type of medicine being practiced, it seems that there would be little or no impact or even risk of impact.

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When they come a wull staun ma groon
Staun ma groon al nae be afraid
Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear
Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

si modo , since you and I work I think with some and in the same environment at times, as to- elements, compounds, chemicals etc. or close to it, we both know that there are a huge number of such loaded with many 'traps' for dyslexics, a spelling of a chemical compound with say an average of 12 letters, with multiple ch's,sh's, y’s, x's, z' can, I think confuse a dyslexic.

there for my concern is; if they cannot master a multiple choice, how can they master their craft as to prescriptions, test results , operating procedures calling for review of such?

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No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


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