Aphorisms as an Educational Strategy in the Health Sciences: An Experimental Essay

Abstract

An aphorism is an expression of simple construction, usually succinct and sententious, with a high density of content. In the words of one
of the authors (JLAG), it is an intelligent and orphic summary or abstraction which, due to its brevity and singularity, has an evocative character. Once grasped, it becomes an easy motto to apply in exhibitions, forming part of verbal scientific elegance. The challenge for the authors was to set a strategy to evaluate the usefulness of its inclusion in an extracurricular teaching/learning activity addressing various aspects of health, in an era in which motivation and adherence are highly dependent on technology. The Museu Memórias da Saúde (Health Memories Museum, MdS museum), at the Faculty of Health Sciences
of the University of Beira Interior, supports educational activities while preserving historical pieces and documents, and has organized thematic serial exhibitions on ethical and historical subjects. The authors, who are responsible for the initiative, questioned its efficiency, as exhibiting does not necessarily mean reaching the targeted population. To attain this endpoint, a consultation and participation evaluation component was added to an exhibition of William Osler’s aphorisms. Tools were created for interaction and for quantifying active visitors and those who completed the collaboration, along with their comments. After four weeks of exhibition, not a single valid opinion was recorded. From the analysis of the limitations of the strategy and the disappointing result, conclusions can be drawn to guide the development of future educational initiatives with similar objectives.