A bunch of new medical schools opening up -- how will this affect prestige?

[artvandelay786]

Medicine, like pharmacy, seems to be having schools popping up everywhere. Do you think that since there will be more places in the next few years due to all of the new medical schools that the prestige associated with the profession will decrease?

After all, if it becomes easier and easier to get into medicine, will physicians still be considered among the best and brightest?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pipe dream]

I'd be less worried about prestige and more worried about residency slots.

 

[IlDestriero]

Yeah, if you don't score a good residency, good luck landing a great job. They will push more people into the previously unfilled primary care spots and push out FMG/IMG folks.

 

[rambo64]

Also more and more people are applying to medical school every year. So it isn't for sure getting easier to get in.

 

[Parklife]

Jeeze artvan,

you're right all over the place. Pharmacy, medicine, dentistry. Just become a rocket scientist and let your ego have a rest.


We have plenty of firefighers in the country, but that doesn't make what they do any less noble. The same goes for pharmacists, dentists, and physicians. Unlike pharmacy, we have a need for more physicians.

Do you really want to be respected? Become a firefighter.

 

[flatearth22]

Physicians' prestige has dropped steadily since the 80's. They used to be seen as the bastion of medical knowledge and humanism. But these days where anyone can google their symptoms, most physicians are basically looked down upon as greedy, glorified mechanics.

In order to have prestige as a physician you're going to have to end up specializing in certain fields like Neurosurgery.

 

[artvandelay786]

Jeeze artvan,

you're right all over the place. Pharmacy, medicine, dentistry. Just become a rocket scientist and let your ego have a rest.


We have plenty of firefighers in the country, but that doesn't make what they do any less noble. The same goes for pharmacists, dentists, and physicians. Unlike pharmacy, we have a need for more physicians.

Do you really want to be respected? Become a firefighter.

Parklife -- why you have been spending time following me all over the boards is unbeknownst to me. I'm a pre-dental student and currently trying to evaluate my options for careers. I don't see anything wrong with doing so; SDN, in my opinion, was created in part so that people could explore various aspects of the health professions so I don't see why I'm being called out here.

 

[FSU2013]

Prestige isn't something you should consider when picking a career. It could be a very minor perk, but that's it. Think about it, the most important things about your career should be how much you enjoy it, what lifestyle it affords you (hours, pay, benefits, perks), and what you can give back. Prestige should be way way lower on the list of things to consider (if at all) when you evaluate your career.

 

[Amnipotem]

Troll will be troll. And yes, there will be a decline in prestige, not that it should matter.

 

[xf3rn4nd3sx]

Medicine will always be respected by some and despised by others. Prestige shouldn't matter. Life is too short to let others' perception of you influence your decisions.

 

[arkuna]

Medicine will always be respected by some and despised by others. Prestige shouldn't matter. Life is too short to let others' perception of you influence your decisions.

Best quote on SDN.

 

[thepoopologist]

This is a very prestigious thread.

 

[honeyyygirl]

Prestige isn't something you should consider when picking a career. It could be a very minor perk, but that's it. Think about it, the most important things about your career should be how much you enjoy it, what lifestyle it affords you (hours, pay, benefits, perks), and what you can give back. Prestige should be way way lower on the list of things to consider (if at all) when you evaluate your career.

Perfectly put

 

[engineeredout]

This is a very prestigious thread.

That is very prestigious of you to point out Good Sir.

 

[notbobtrustme]

The vast majority of new schools are DO schools, so the MDs should be fine right now. Opening a new MD school is much tougher so any new MD schools will be extensively credentialed before accepting their first class. And these new MD schools are opening in established, prestigious universities.

 

[CaptainSSO]

This is a very prestigious thread.

Prestigious user name!

 

[479260]

Prestigious user name!

hahaha

 

[Charlie Hustle]

I love prestige threads.

 

[Socrates25]

The vast majority of new schools are DO schools, so the MDs should be fine right now. Opening a new MD school is much tougher so any new MD schools will be extensively credentialed before accepting their first class. And these new MD schools are opening in established, prestigious universities.

yeah, like Palm Beach Medical College

Its not as bad as the DO programs, but there are plenty of **** MD programs opening too.

 

[Socrates25]

Speaking of Palm Beach, if this joke of a med school gets accredited, it will mark the 7th new medical school in Florida since 2002. Absurd.



University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville
University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa
Florida State University College of Medicine in Tallahassee
Florida International University College of Medicine in Miami (First year of admissions -2009)
University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando (First year of admissions – 2009)
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton (First year of admissions – 2011)
University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton
Nova Southeastern College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale

 

[rambo64]

Lol I live in Fl and there has only been 3 new MD schools since 2002. Palm beach medical college sounds expensive lol

 

[Vigil]

Lol I live in Fl and there has only been 3 new MD schools since 2002. Palm beach medical college sounds expensive lol

I'm literally 4 exits away from where they want to set up this school. To be honest, I'm getting the same vibe from "Palm Beach Medical College" I get from places like Keiser University and University of Phoenix

 

[Socrates25]

Lol I live in Fl and there has only been 3 new MD schools since 2002. Palm beach medical college sounds expensive lol

Regardless, its too many. Prior to 2002, there were only 4 total med schools in florida (UF, USF, Miami, Nova)

Florida probably needed a maximum of 2-3 new med schools total. 7 new programs is just ridiculous.

 

[rambo64]

Orly? Florida's population rivals NY 18m vs 19m . And NY has almost twice as many schools 13 vs 7...and I'm only taking about MD.

 

[rambo64]

I'm literally 4 exits away from where they want to set up this school. To be honest, I'm getting the same vibe from "Palm Beach Medical College" I get from places like Keiser University and University of Phoenix

LOL! That's how I felt too. I hope it's just because I'm just hearing about this school.

 

[FSU2013]

More importantly, how will it affect compensation?

 

[digitlnoize]

Regardless, its too many. Prior to 2002, there were only 4 total med schools in florida (UF, USF, Miami, Nova)

Florida probably needed a maximum of 2-3 new med schools total. 7 new programs is just ridiculous.

If it makes you feel better, I can tell you most LECOM-B graduates leave Florida after graduating. Most of us went back to wherever we came from.

It's a great school though. No complaints here, and I'm doing just as well as my MD counterparts at my university residency.

It's really the residency slots that keep people in state, and Florida doesn't have as many as you'd think.

 

[Wilf]

I'm literally 4 exits away from where they want to set up this school. To be honest, I'm getting the same vibe from "Palm Beach Medical College" I get from places like Keiser University and University of Phoenix

I wondered when that would happen with medicine. Hope everyone knows that we have egalitarianism to thank for all this.

 

[VenusinFurs]

I wondered when that would happen with medicine. Hope everyone knows that we have egalitarianism to thank for all this.

whaaaaaaaaat

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to pre-allo

 

[RHeff]

I'd be less worried about prestige and more worried about residency slots.

wise words

 

[Yonko Shanks]

I love being a Florida resident. Will hopefully make it easier to get into med school.

 

[BK2681]

The University of Tulsa and the University of Oklahoma just bought a building in downtown Tulsa for a new School of Community Medicine. The plan is to have TU teach the first two years and OU teach the clinical years. I could see a lot more of these partnerships between schools currently with medical schools and schools without opening up in the future.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=61&articleid=20111206_61_A13_Thejoi835623

 

[DietSexy5000]

Prestige isn't something you should consider when picking a career. It could be a very minor perk, but that's it. Think about it, the most important things about your career should be how much you enjoy it, what lifestyle it affords you (hours, pay, benefits, perks), and what you can give back. Prestige should be way way lower on the list of things to consider (if at all) when you evaluate your career.

If prestige is why you want to go into medicine, there's no reason some random people on SDN should tell you that's not a good reason. Maybe it's not the best thing to say at an interview but if it's what keeps you going to class and eventually work every day, good for you. Same goes if your motivation is to make money. Not every doctor has to claim to be the most altruistic, human loving person ever. Whatever your motivation, I hope it keeps you going.

To answer the original question, I doubt new schools will affect the public opinion of doctors. Very few people know the admissions standards/process anyways so influencing the educational aspects will likely have minimal effect on the largely uninformed population.

 

[Socrates25]

If prestige is why you want to go into medicine, there's no reason some random people on SDN should tell you that's not a good reason. Maybe it's not the best thing to say at an interview but if it's what keeps you going to class and eventually work every day, good for you. Same goes if your motivation is to make money. Not every doctor has to claim to be the most altruistic, human loving person ever. Whatever your motivation, I hope it keeps you going.

To answer the original question, I doubt new schools will affect the public opinion of doctors. Very few people know the admissions standards/process anyways so influencing the educational aspects will likely have minimal effect on the largely uninformed population.

I agree in general, however there will be a "dumb cousin" effect down the road that will change perceptions gradually over time.

When you go to family reunions and tell them about med school, you'll hear about "my dumb cousin got into med school too, I dont recall the name but it must not be that hard to get in cause that guy got weak grades in school and really isnt very smart." They wont make the distinction that you got accepted to a solid state school whereas cousin Billy Bob got accepted to Palm Beach Medical College (yes, thats a real MD program opening in Florida).