Obtaining a medical degree is a time consuming, expensive, and complicated process. The problem with that is not every society is set up to provide the education needed to give individuals their medical training and subsequent degree. That doesn’t negate the fact that those societies are often the same ones in the most dire need of medical care.

The need for complex medical instruction and the limitations of providing such knowledge on a global scale means there must be another way somehow. One solution has been the advent of “shadow learning,” an action that has been around for a long time, but only recently has become popularized. Shadow learning is helpful to those in third-world communities who have little to no access to medical care from trained professionals, and to those in busy fields who have a difficult time getting hands-on training. Researchers are now using this type of learning to teach their knowledge to students, and to learn themselves as technology changes so quickly.

What is Shadow Learning?

The medical field is laden down with red tape, guidelines, evolving rules and regulations, and expectations that are so micromanaged and complicated that it’s almost impossible to keep up with them. It’s hard enough when you are in an institution with access to resources and equipment that follows those practices, but when you live in a community where everything available is insufficient, people still need medical care, and those who have the capacity and desire to learn must be taught.

The best way to learn is always hands-on, but in cases where that is not possible, shadow learning has become the approved method. Not only is this relevant in societies that lack funding for education, but it’s also being used in hospitals and institutions where robotic surgery limits the role of the person being trained. Without the need for hands-on assistance, new surgical trainees are unable to learn the techniques necessary for them to operate competently. Shadow learning practices in these instances could help contribute to problems in the future when specialists are declining in place of robotic surgeons.

When is Shadow Learning an Accepted Technique?

The rise of artificial intelligence and virtual technology is going hand-in-hand naturally with the decline of much of human necessity. It’s a contested debate and is highly controversial, but the evidence exists in industries all over the world as new technology automates tasks. That new technology is also becoming cheaper, making it a cost-efficient replacement for a lot of jobs, like surgery.

Surgical robots are in at least one of three hospitals in the United States. Fields like urology and gynecology have been using robotic surgery for over ten years. Many in the medical profession are under the opinion that AI is here to stay and they have to adapt. Surgical trainees are now learning how to use robotic instruments rather than do the actual surgery themselves. There is still the need for a surgeon, but they are controlling the console, not the equipment performing the surgery. Instead of one main surgeon with many residents cooperating to assist, these trainees are sitting at the bedside removing fluids or sitting at the console observing and waiting for their turn to “operate.”

This type of shadow learning is impacting medical sciences as people begin to rely on robots instead of learning the actions necessary to perform surgical procedures. We see the fallout of this in small ways in other parts of society as individuals become inured to computers. Grammar and spelling aren’t as necessary because spellcheck is on every digital device, therefore people don’t actually know what they’re writing. Directions aren’t as necessary because everyone has a GPS with a WiFi connection on their phone. Little by little, the cognitive ability to apply knowledge is being replaced with dependence on technology.

Yet, in places like third-world countries where knowledge is valued and hard to come by, shadow learning is accepted and even coveted. When a person can stand in the shadows and watch someone with training complete a medical task, they’re more likely to be able to do it in the future, with or without a degree.