System vs subject based

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ssiding

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What do you all think are the pros and cons of system and subject based medical schools?

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Im at a subject based school. What I do not like is that there tends to be a lot of overlap between subjects. I find this especially true in histology where they try to describe structure with tidbits of function. Yet we obviously talk a lot about function in physiology (and to some extent in biochemistry for cellular function). So the subject based method seems a little inefficient.

I'm not sure how system based schools test their students (is it 1 single test?), but we have a test for each subject. If systems based is just one test, I think that would be a benefit. I hate having 4 exams per week. I would rather have most of the week to study for 1 big all day test. I think this would also better prepare people for the boards.
 
koopa, does being tested on similar subject information from different angles helps you learn better, or is it just ineffective.
 
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What do you all think are the pros and cons of system and subject based medical schools?


I'm systems based, which I really like. First year we had 1-2 tests per unit, about every 3-4 weeks (fewer than 15 tests for the whole year). 2nd year every unit except one is 1 test, each unit is 2-4 weeks, so we'll probably end up around 15 tests this time as well. I don't mind taking tests, but maybe that's b/c I only take 1-2 a month.
 
Im at a subject based school. What I do not like is that there tends to be a lot of overlap between subjects. I find this especially true in histology where they try to describe structure with tidbits of function. Yet we obviously talk a lot about function in physiology (and to some extent in biochemistry for cellular function). So the subject based method seems a little inefficient.

I'm not sure how system based schools test their students (is it 1 single test?), but we have a test for each subject. If systems based is just one test, I think that would be a benefit. I hate having 4 exams per week. I would rather have most of the week to study for 1 big all day test. I think this would also better prepare people for the boards.
We're subject-based 1st year, but we don't have test weeks (or at least didn't 1st semester). Believe me, that sucks big-time
 
Yeah--systems based is much better in my opinion.
 
koopa, does being tested on similar subject information from different angles helps you learn better, or is it just ineffective.

My opinion is that the function isn't really taught a different angle. No matter what, the histologist and physiologist are going to talk about skeletal muscle contractions the same way. The histologist would probably show a real slide of the muscle bands/zones while a physiologist would use a drawing. But really its just the same. So it sometimes gets repetitive. I guess it depends how efficient the school designs the curriculum.
 
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