With the field of medicine getting more and more expansive, how will the 4 + 4 system get affected?

[Round786]

As researchers learn more and more about medicine and the human body, will the amount of knowledge medical students need to know substantially increase? Is it possible in our lifetime that there will be so much new information that medical school will now need to be 5 years long or there will be a specialized 3 year undergrad degree for medicine?

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[Goro]

As researchers learn more and more about medicine and the human body, will the amount of knowledge medical students need to know substantially increase? Is it possible in our lifetime that there will be so much new information that medical school will now need to be 5 years long or there will be a specialized 3 year undergrad degree for medicine?

The costs of medical school tuition make that a 5-year medical school very difficult, unless medical schools are willing to keep four year tuition and spread it out through 5 years.

The three year undergrad? Rather than that, some medical schools are moving to a 3-year format, because not everybody going into Primary Care needs to know about say surgery or advanced Techniques.

As a medical educator, I can tell you that as new information comes online, we have to make the decision of what's relevant and important to learn, and what's not.

 

[gyngyn]

I can tell you that as new information comes online, we have to make the decision of what's relevant and important to learn, and what's not.

I agree completely.
Much of what was relevant 4 decades ago is scarcely worth knowing today.
We replace the the less important with what's more important and find more efficient ways to teach (and learn).

 

[gyngyn]

Is it possible in our lifetime that there will be so much new information that medical school will now need to be 5 years long or there will be a specialized 3 year undergrad degree for medicine?

Most of what we learn in college has little to do with school.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

As researchers learn more and more about medicine and the human body, will the amount of knowledge medical students need to know substantially increase? Is it possible in our lifetime that there will be so much new information that medical school will now need to be 5 years long or there will be a specialized 3 year undergrad degree for medicine?

I really don't see this as a problem. We have number of schools experimenting with 3-year tracks because they want to address the doctor shortage or want to lower barriers to residency to get more doctors into practice (CAMMP).

AI algorithms are already here. Personal data management with commercial devices like smart watches and phones will make things challenging but also could be easier for management. Interprofessional teams will help in some areas.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

I wonder about separating psychiatry from the MD side of things…having ‘psychiatry schools’ like we have dental schools. I wonder how viable this is as a concept.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I wonder about separating psychiatry from the MD side of things…having ‘psychiatry schools’ like we have dental schools. I wonder how viable this is as a concept.

You mean Clinical Psychology (PsyD)? We have a forum for that.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I don’t know. Medicine isn’t about learning everything and anything. There’s a reason why older physicians tend to be better at the physical exam