How Are Medical School Class Sizes Determined?

[965978]

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What are the determining factors behind some schools having less than 100 students and other schools having spots for over 250?

I figured it might be financial resources but that doesn't make sense because some insanely rich schools still have small sizes. So perhaps it's faculty size? Physical Space?

Surely it's more complicated than that...

It's just difficult to think that a rich, well-equipped school like Stanford only trains 100 students when other schools can train >200.

 

[907914]

What are the determining factors behind some schools having less than 100 students and other schools having spots for over 250?

I figured it might be financial resources but that doesn't make sense because some insanely rich schools still have small sizes. So perhaps it's faculty size? Physical Space?

Surely it's more complicated than that...

It basically boils down to how large of the building and how many faculty the board of trustees wants to hire and wants to build. Beyond that there is an much else influencing it. The number of faculty that they need is going to be dependent on which I teaching style they use or which lesson and curriculum plan they have. the number of students they take is going to be depending on what clinical partners they’re able to acquire for third and fourth year rotations. But again, those clinical partnership aspects usually depend upon funding that’s been approved or funding that’s available

 

[doc05]

Preclinical curriculum isn’t the issue. It’s mostly about space for clinical rotations.

 

[907914]

Preclinical curriculum isn’t the issue. It’s mostly about space for clinical rotations.

Won't certain preclinical curricula require more faculty/more space than others?

 

[gyngyn]

Any number of pre-clinical spots can be accomodated. The best schools are not going to infringe on the quality of their clinical experience.

 

[965978]

Any number of pre-clinical spots can be accomodated. The best schools are not going to infringe on the quality of their clinical experience.

I've heard Carribbean schools are not taken seriously for this exact reason.

 

[gyngyn]

I've heard Carribbean schools are not taken seriously for this exact reason.

Their business model actually requires that a boatload of their matriculants never makes it into the clinical curriculum!
There are many more reasons than this, of course.

 

[907914]

Their business model actually requires that a boatload of their matriculants never makes it into the clinical curriculum!
There are many more reasons than this, of course.

Don't they fund clinical rotations for the quarter of their students that make it to that point with the first two years of tuition for the other 3/4ths?

 

[LizzyM]

What it boils down to is that US schools are not setting up bleacher seats in the delivery room to accomodate M3 students on their OB clerkship.

One very real concern for US med schools that don't control a bunch of hospitals is that the off shore schools are paying hospitals to place their students thus crowding out US med students.

Accreditation of US med schools rests on having enough clinical slots to accomodate the M3M4 classes.

 

[puahate]

Any number of pre-clinical spots can be accomodated. The best schools are not going to infringe on the quality of their clinical experience.

How does Jefferson get away with a large class size?

 

[gyngyn]

How does Jefferson get away with a large class size?

They must believe that they have satisfactory clinical experience for 544+ students for required clerkships and electives. ...and it appears that the LCME agrees.

 

[doc05]

Won't certain preclinical curricula require more faculty/more space than others?

Not significantly. Lecture halls are big.
For preclinical, more students means a few more cadavers, that’s about it.

But having too many students on quality clinical rotations can be a problem.

This is an issue I’d be concerned about at some of the newer med schools, especially those focused around community hospitals.

 

[gyngyn]

Don't they fund clinical rotations for the quarter of their students that make it to that point with the first two years of tuition for the other 3/4ths?

Even paying does not necessarily result in a useful clinical experience. Some doc in private practice may or may not have the skills, inclination or training to teach a neophyte (no matter how much they are paid!).

 

[965978]

They must believe that they have satisfactory clinical experience for 544+ students for required clerkships and electives. ...and it appears that the LCME agrees.

They have a 957 bed university hospital and 22 affiliated hospital (with a high ranking eye institute and neuroscience hospital). Do you know if Jefferson has any overlapping affiliations with UPenn/Temple/Drexel?

 

[gyngyn]

Do you know if Jefferson has any overlapping affiliations with UPenn/Temple/Drexel?

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[ciestar]

How does Jefferson get away with a large class size?

A lot of affiliate hospitals.

They have a 957 bed university hospital and 22 affiliated hospital (with a high ranking eye institute and neuroscience hospital). Do you know if Jefferson has any overlapping affiliations with UPenn/Temple/Drexel?

Ive been rotating with Jeff students my entire OB rotation.

 

[ciestar]

I wouldn't be surprised.

Yeah. Drexel and Jeff both have affiliations with Abington, Reading, York, Crozer, and Virtua.

Jeff sends students to CHOP.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

are not setting up bleacher seats in the delivery room

I just spit out my tea
Interestingly enough, the earliest anatomy labs and surgical grand rounds were exactly this… Bleacher seats arranged around one single table.

 

[LizzyM]

I just spit out my tea
Interestingly enough, the earliest anatomy labs and surgical grand rounds were exactly this… Bleacher seats arranged around one single table.

There is a German TV series on Netflix called Charité that shows that very thing in late 19th century Berlin. What I've watched of it was quite good.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

I believe Jefferson has students rotating in Delaware at Christiana and Du Pont Children's.