Exploring Fairness in Scholarly Development: Are We Creating Knowledge Storing Zombies or Curious, Creative and Critical Healthcare Professionals?

Abstract

Scholarly doctors require research knowledge and skills (Ausbildung), as well as an academic mindset, which includes curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking (Bildung). However, in contrast to knowledge and skills, summative assessment of the development of an academic mindset is not so easy in an objective and so-called ‘fair’ way. As a result, in practice, assessing knowledge and skills tends to dominate in scholarly development. In this perspective, we explore the issues that arise when we give priority to objective assessment of knowledge and skills in scholarly development to safeguard fairness and, consequently, standardize educational procedures and learning pathways. We argue that eventually this approach may even result in hampered development of a true academic mindset and can be considered unfair rather than fair. To solve this, perhaps we should go back to the core business of the university and in the tradition of founder of the modern university Von Humboldt focus on shaping an academic mindset (Bildung). To rebalance Ausbildung and Bildung in academic education, we should go beyond the assumption that objectivity is a prerequisite for achieving fairness in assessment. Shifting the focus from pure objectivity to both objectivity and subjectivity in assessment as well as learning pathways can assist in protecting fairness and, as a result, bring back Bildung to medical education to ensure future doctors to be true scholars.