Plaza MIR, easier to get but with more anxiety

After long months of preparation, thousands of candidates face this Saturday, January 21, the MIR 2023, a demanding test that requires a titanic effort. He knows about this (and a lot) Ferdinand of Theresa, who, from the position of academic director of CTO, has accompanied the students in this intense process. For this reason, at the gates of the ‘great day’, he recommends that applicants try to enjoy the end of this stage, which could mark a turning point in his professional career.

As an expert with more than 30 years of experience behind him, De Teresa argues that, after years of changes and tests, Health has come up with the formula for the MIR model to meet its main objective: to be a sufficiently distributive exam to make a difference between the best prepared doctors and those who are not. Of course, despite the fact that the new reality seems to knock on the door of a telematic exercise, it is considered “traditional”Therefore, it advocates maintaining the current structure and, for the moment, it is not committed to making this leap.

How has the preparation of students who opt for the MIR evolved in recent years?

The evolution of the MIR preparation has to do, above all, with the growth of the possibilities of being able to train with the new technologies, beyond the book, the manual and the pencil. There are many more media that provide the opportunity, for example, to have all the multiple choice questions on one platform, commented with an individual video. Therefore, the way of acquiring information acquires a greater multidimensionality.

How has the preparation center adapted to this new reality?

What we have had to do to adapt the preparation center to this new reality is fundamentally to seek our development in order to respond to all these needs. Therefore, we have adapted many rooms to be able to hold classes in streamingwe have developed our technological department, both the computer science and the multimedia department, to be able to prepare videos, integrate all the manuals and create new tools that involve interactive student work, with infographics and specific videos.

What are the main fears and doubts that students have when starting this process?

A paradoxical situation occurs. Now we know that it is much easier to access the choice of specialist position; there were even plenty of places last year. However, that feeling of anxiety and anguish has not decreased; it is more, it may be greater. All this depends on the fact that they not only want to be able to get a position, which is the main objective, but they also want to be able to get a position and a good enough order number to be calm, happy and satisfied with the work they have done. . Let’s keep in mind that these are people who are used to excellence in study, to always being number one in their circle and, therefore, now they are facing a situation that generates greater anxiety.

Fernando de Teresa explains what changes the MIR model requires.

Do you think there is a particularly momentous moment in the preparation?

Curiously, the most transcendental moment of preparation may occur in the first months. These are months in which many students combine their sixth-year studies at the Faculty of Medicine with the preparation for the MIR, which is why it is the part that makes the most difference. In the last three months of preparation, all the candidates are aware that they have to study long hours and that they have to work to the maximum, so there are no differences in terms of performance. In these last three months, it is emotional stability that marks the greatest distance between those who are able to work with the peace of mind that they only have to focus on their daily studies and those who allow themselves to be gripped by pessimism and nerves.

In a way, yes, and this variation has to do with the gradual development of a much more selective and demanding selection of the population that enters the Faculty of Medicine. More and more you have to get a higher grade to be able to enter the Faculty of Medicine, so the student profile is that of a responsible person from the age of 15 or 16, which is when the possibilities of in order to enter the degree. Therefore, now we find ourselves with a group of the population with greater demands and responsibility in what they do, but also with more problems in terms of anxiety generated by having an order number in the MIR.

Fernando de Teresa, academic director of CTO.

Given the poor results of the last call, in which there were unfilled positions, do you think that the MIR is facing its deepest crisis?

Bad results means that some places were left unchosen. We have a clear situation, which is that in the coming years many doctors are going to retire and the new incorporation of students is not going to cover the entire deficit of doctors that is taking place. Obviously, we need to increase the number of places, but this increase implies that the student has a greater capacity to reject a place and apply for the following year; This generates a problem that I think we are going to solve. Measures have been taken from the Ministry, such as the increase in the non-community quota or the reduction of the cut-off mark, so we hope that the lack of choice of the last places will be solved.

Do you consider that the MIR needs or requires any change?

Many changes have been made in recent years at the MIR in search of the ideal format. I think that now we are close to achieving a theoretical-practical format, even though a questionnaire is answered that is still something more theoretical than practical. Images are being incorporated and there are many clinical case questions, therefore, the student has to show ability to be able to solve these clinical situations.

I think we have managed to find an exam profile that can meet the main requirement, which is to be a distributive test, something essential to be able to select and not leave everything to chance. In addition, all specialties are represented within the exam.

What possible evolution would it have? This is something that the MIR Commission has to respond to, which I understand is trying to find some possibility to carry out a more practical test, like the OSCE. I don’t know if we are close to achieving it, but I know that steps are being taken in that direction.

Fernando de Teresa answering the questions of Medical Writing.

Is a telematic MIR feasible?

Its viable; If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that, when faced with a need, tools are developed to be able to meet many of the difficulties that arose due to non-attendance.

The test that we are doing now is theoretical; I am more traditional and I believe that there always has to be a test of theoretical knowledge, so I am in favor of continuing to do so. Now, if you want to try to implement an OSCE-type test, it would have to be done electronically and it would be feasible. In fact, tests are already being carried out with something similar in Universities globally.

The vast part of your work is already done; They have fulfilled an enormous responsibility and demand and have worked like true titans. In fact, I would like the general population to know the sacrifice that these guys, who are usually around 24 or 25 years old, have made to be able to take a test and acquire all the possible recognitions.

What we recommend is that they be aware that all the work they have done is useful, that they have confidence in themselves and that they know that, more than worrying about the exam on Saturday, they have to be proud of the effort they have made.

We recommend that you enjoy this week a bit, even though it is complicated, and that you know that all you have to do on Saturday is teach what you have prepared and be convinced that you know a lot about medicine.

How do you support students in this final stretch? Is there a special event?

Our support for students in this final stretch consists, fundamentally, in being present with them continuously. They have a video of me daily and their teachers are always with them. This Wednesday we have a farewell, a last brief coaching act. On Friday at 2:30 p.m. we declare a curfew, so you can no longer study because they need 24 hours to be rested for the day of the exam. That same Friday, at 4:00 p.m., we have prepared a gala with songs and jokes in which all the teachers will send them a message of support. The goal is for them to come out saying “this is worth it, I’m going to go for it, tomorrow I’ll eat the exam”.

The CTO academic director shows the special shirt created for the MIR 2023.

What do you expect from MIR 2023?

After the latest changes that have occurred, from CTO we have the feeling that a formula was found last year to take the 200-question exam and a sufficiently distributed distribution among all specialties. Therefore, we hope that the exam will continue in this line and be sufficiently distributive to be able to mark differences between those who are better prepared students and those who are not.

We do not expect any major surprise, so we are committed to a line of continuity, after the leaps that have taken place in recent years.