SICOT e-Newsletter
Issue No. 63 - December 2013
Editorial
The Bread Loaf vs. Gold Market Theory in Medical Trainingâ¦Hatem Said
SICOT Editorial Secretary - Assiut, Egypt
Some may have heard about the âBread loaf theoryâ, also known in some western countries as the âCake Theoryâ. This is a misconception that the more you teach others, the more they will grow into the market and share in your potential pool of clients and hence income.
Unfortunately, this theory is widespread in developing countries, where the main source of income is private practice. It is less of an issue in areas where surgeons are on fixed salaries, and the salary is sufficient for oneâs needs and requirements.
The theory is based on the assumption that clients or patients are a fixed amount like a bread loaf, and the more people share in it, the smaller your cut will be...
This theory is clearly contradicted by the Gold Market theory. One notices that Gold shops are usually present in groups to form a whole market, although that drives competition in quality and prices, which is good for the customer, however it also attracts more customers to that market, who predict they will find a wider variety in the market, rather than going to a place with a single shop.
This is also depicted in modern malls all over the world in which there are many clothes, electronics, and sports shops, in addition to restaurants, in the same place. So, taking this model into account, yes the percentage of sales may decrease from 10% to 5% of the Bread loaf or Cake due to competition, but the final income (Bread loaf) is much larger, because of the market attraction of more customers. Therefore, 5% in reality is a much bigger income than the original 10% of the smaller Bread loaf.
One sees examples of this in real life in our own country. The surgeons who practise the bread loaf theory, usually have learned a skill after a long struggle, and at the same time fail to progress and learn something new due to low ambition, which creates a danger that if a younger colleague learns that skill, they will be in direct competition. In some situations, they even try to suppress them from learning the same skill, which leads the younger surgeon to search for alternative sources of training, thus losing the senior respect and the whole teacher/learner relationship.
On the contrary, senior surgeons who have progressed and taught younger colleagues, besides the gratitude of teaching others, one finds that group practice is much easier. The whole department grows and the reputation blossoms and the private work increases for all, as this area becomes a medical hub for more patients.
As surgeons, we all realise that the best assistant is one who can do the surgery, so that you may depend on him to do certain parts, and help in decision making during surgery, which results in less stress for the main surgeon. In addition, a well-trained assistant helps in the pre- and post-operative workload, resulting in a better and smoother run service for the whole team.
In all religions, teachers are of high stature which approaches that of prophets. In Islam: Prophet Mohamed mentioned that after death, oneâs good deeds can only continue through 1 of 3 things. One of which is "a science or teaching that is useful to mankind...". In Judaism, Rabbi Akiba shows the desire to teach by saying "My son, more than the calf wishes to suck does the cow yearn to suckle". While the Bible says "my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness" James 3:1-2.
Yet this principle remains under practised in developing countries compared to developed ones...
Over the years, we have seen professors and surgeons who have taught their techniques decades ago, and till now their legacy continues, bringing âimmortalityâ. Yet others who have not, their fame and knowledge have died with them and are soon to be forgotten.
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Unfortunately, this theory is widespread in developing countries, where the main source of income is private practice. It is less of an issue in areas where surgeons are on fixed salaries, and the salary is sufficient for oneâs needs and requirements.
The theory is based on the assumption that clients or patients are a fixed amount like a bread loaf, and the more people share in it, the smaller your cut will be...
This theory is clearly contradicted by the Gold Market theory. One notices that Gold shops are usually present in groups to form a whole market, although that drives competition in quality and prices, which is good for the customer, however it also attracts more customers to that market, who predict they will find a wider variety in the market, rather than going to a place with a single shop.
This is also depicted in modern malls all over the world in which there are many clothes, electronics, and sports shops, in addition to restaurants, in the same place. So, taking this model into account, yes the percentage of sales may decrease from 10% to 5% of the Bread loaf or Cake due to competition, but the final income (Bread loaf) is much larger, because of the market attraction of more customers. Therefore, 5% in reality is a much bigger income than the original 10% of the smaller Bread loaf.
One sees examples of this in real life in our own country. The surgeons who practise the bread loaf theory, usually have learned a skill after a long struggle, and at the same time fail to progress and learn something new due to low ambition, which creates a danger that if a younger colleague learns that skill, they will be in direct competition. In some situations, they even try to suppress them from learning the same skill, which leads the younger surgeon to search for alternative sources of training, thus losing the senior respect and the whole teacher/learner relationship.
On the contrary, senior surgeons who have progressed and taught younger colleagues, besides the gratitude of teaching others, one finds that group practice is much easier. The whole department grows and the reputation blossoms and the private work increases for all, as this area becomes a medical hub for more patients.
As surgeons, we all realise that the best assistant is one who can do the surgery, so that you may depend on him to do certain parts, and help in decision making during surgery, which results in less stress for the main surgeon. In addition, a well-trained assistant helps in the pre- and post-operative workload, resulting in a better and smoother run service for the whole team.
In all religions, teachers are of high stature which approaches that of prophets. In Islam: Prophet Mohamed mentioned that after death, oneâs good deeds can only continue through 1 of 3 things. One of which is "a science or teaching that is useful to mankind...". In Judaism, Rabbi Akiba shows the desire to teach by saying "My son, more than the calf wishes to suck does the cow yearn to suckle". While the Bible says "my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness" James 3:1-2.
Yet this principle remains under practised in developing countries compared to developed ones...
Over the years, we have seen professors and surgeons who have taught their techniques decades ago, and till now their legacy continues, bringing âimmortalityâ. Yet others who have not, their fame and knowledge have died with them and are soon to be forgotten.
Â