Medical school

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Faculty of Medical Sciences of the State University of Campinas, in Campinas, Brazil

A medical school, or faculty of medicine, is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, which is involved in the education of future medical practitioners (medical doctors) as well as their accreditation to legally practice medicine. Medical schools teach subjects such as human anatomy, clinical practice, as well as many basic sciences.

The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of medical programs offered at medical schools vary considerably around the world. Medical schools are often highly competitive, with medical schools accepting only a few number of applicants based primarily on test scores such as the MCAT or other standardized entrance examinations.

Examples

Australia

Main article: Medical education in Australia

Canada

In Canada, a medical school is a faculty or school of a university, and is typically offered as a four year post-graduate program.

Medical students begin study after receiving a bachelor's degree in another field of study. Most commonly, the bachelor's degree is in one of the biological sciences. However, not all medical schools in Canada necessarily require a bachelor's degree for entry, for example McGill University's medical school accepts applicants after a two-year CEGEP diploma, which is the equivalent of other provinces' grade 12 plus one year of university studies after grade 12.

Admission offers are made by individual medical schools, generally on the basis of a personal statement, undergraduate record (GPA), scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and interviews. Francophone medical schools in Quebec and the (University of Ottawa) (a bilingual school) do not usually require the MCAT.

Many medical schools also offer joint degree programs in which some medical students may simultaneously enroll in M.Sc. or Ph.D. level programs in related fields.

Medical school in Canada is typically a 4 year program at most universities. Notable exceptions include McMaster University and University of Calgary whose programs run for three consecutive years. During the last year of medical education, students enter into the (Canadian Resident Matching Service) (also known as CaRMS). Students rank their preferences of hospitals and specialties and are entered into a matching system to determine their residency positions. Family medicine, or general practice, is a 2 year program that is also matched through the CaRMS service.

During the final year of medical school, students must complete the (Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada) (LMCC) to be eligible for practice in Canada. Upon completion of the final year of medical school, students are awarded the degree of M.D.(which is an undergraduate medical degree cf. common misconception that an MD is a graduate degree) and then register with the (Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada). Students then go on to begin training in the program designated to them by the CaRMS matching service.

Germany

In Germany, admission to medical schools is organized by the Zentralstelle für die Vergabe von Studienplätzen (ZVS), a central federal organization. The most important criterion for admission is the so called Numerus clausus, a person's final GPA on the Abitur (secondary school diploma). After 2 years of preclinical studies and 4 years of clinical studies, the students graduate as general practitioners. The degree course in medicine is called medizinisches Staatsexamen (medical state exam). A person who graduates from a Staatsexamen degree course doesn't receive an academic degree, in the sense of an academic title. However, graduates are authorized to use the German professional title Arzt (physician), and are informally addressed with the honorific "Dr". As in other countries it is optional to write a dissertation to obtain a Dr. med. (which is an academic degree in contrast to the Staatsexamen).

India

In India, admission to medical colleges is organized both by the central government CBSE as well as the state governments entrance tests, after the students complete their 10+2 education. The undergraduate program consists of 9 semesters , followed by one-year internship (rotating housemanship). The degree granted is Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.B.S.). Further postgraduate qualifications may be obtained as Diploma or Degree (MD/MS) under the aegis of the Medical Council of India [1]. PG diploma may also be obtained through the National Board of Examinations [2]. See Medical College (India) for more details

Ireland

There are five medical schools in the Republic of Ireland. They are at Trinity College Dublin, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, University College Dublin, University College Cork and University College Galway (the National University of Ireland is the degree-awarding institution for all except Trinity College). Training lasts four, five or six years, with the last two years in the affiliated teaching hospitals (UCD - St. Vincents University Hospital, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Holles St., The Coombe, Crumlin Childrens Hospital) (Trinity - St. James's Hospital, Adelaide and Meath Hospitals incorporating the National Children's Hospital) (RCSI - Beaumont Hospital). Programs that are six years in length generally require high school qualifications. Programs that are four or five years in length generally require previous university degrees.

Medical education is regulated by the Irish Medical Council, the statutory body which is also responsible for maintaining a register of medical practitioners. After graduation with the degrees of MB BCh BAO (Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus in Chirurgia, Baccalaureus in Arte Obstetricia), a doctor is required to spend one year as an "intern" under supervision before full registration is permitted. Graduates of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland also receive the traditional "Licenciate of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons and Physicians in Ireland" (LRCP&SI), which was awarded before the RCSI became an Affiliate of the National University of Ireland and thus was allowed grant degrees, under the Medical Practitioners Act (1978).

Iceland

In Iceland, admission to medical school is awarded by passing a pre-organized test, controlled by the University of Iceland, which anyone who has a gymnasium degree can partake in. Only 48 people are granted entry each year and is the order of the people determined by who got the 48 highest scores on the test. Medical school in Iceland takes 6 years to complete and they must also complete 1 year of residency. Students are granted with an MD degree at graduation.

Japan

In Japan, a medical school is a faculty of a university. Programs are generally 6 years. Entrance is based on an exam taken at the end of high school.

Medical students study liberal arts for the first 1-2 years, then clinical medicine, Public health and Forensics for the next 3 years.

Medical students train in the hospital for the last year. Clinical training is a part of the curriculum. Upon completion of the graduation examination, students are awarded a Bachelor degree.

At the end, Medical students take the National Medical License examination, and if they pass it, become a Physician. The scope of this exam encompasses every aspect of medicine.

Republic of Macedonia

In the Republic of Macedonia, admission to medical schools is organized by the University in which the applicant applies. The most important criterion for admission is the so called Srednoshkolska Diploma, a person's final GPA on the Diploma (secondary school diploma). After 2 years of preclinical studies and 4 years of clinical studies, the students graduate as general practitioners. The degree course in medicine is called Drzaven ispit (medical state exam). A person who graduates from a Drzaven ispit degree course doesn't receive an academic degree, in the sense of an academic title. However, graduates are authorized to use the German professional title Lekar (physician), and are informally addressed with the honorific "Dr". As in other countries it is optional to write a dissertation to obtain a Dr.med. (which is an academic degree in contrast to the Drzaven ispit).

Romania

In Romania medical school is called faculty (facultate) and is a part of a greater institution. In Romania, addmision to medical faculty is awarded by passing a preorganized test. Program lasts 6 years with first 2 years being preclinical and last 4 years being mostly clinical. After 6-year-program, one has to take licencing examination (which consists of mostly clinical oriented questions, but some of questions are connected to basic sciences) and has to write thesis (lucrare de diploma) in any field he/she studied. Final award is a doctor title (shortened Dr.), which is not an academic degree (compare with Germany).

Nepal

In Nepal, medical studies start at undergraduate level. The program is of five and half years duration. There are three main medical bodies in Nepal:

The first two years of studies are called "Basic Sciences" followed by two and half years of "clinical sciences" and one year of internship. After the successful completion of this course, a student is awarded Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( M.B.B.S. ) degree.

Netherlands & Belgium

In the Netherlands and Belgium, medical students receive respectively 6 and 7 years of university education prior to their graduation.

In the Netherlands students receive four years of the preclinical training, followed by two years of clinical training in hospitals. After 6 years students graduate as basisarts (comparable with Doctor of Medicine), which in accordance with the Bologna process is comparable with a master's degree qualification. All medical students are permitted entry from the highest level of secondary school: VWO, the entrant is not required to have a previous bachelor's degrees qualification.

The Belgian medical education is much more based on theoretical knowledge, whereas in the Netherlands medical education is focused more on skill than theoretical knowledge. In Belgium the first three years of education lead up to a bachelor's degree, followed by a four-year master's program.

New Zealand

New Zealand medical programs are undergraduate-entry programs of six years duration. Students are considered for acceptance only after a year of undegraduate basic sciences or, in a small number cases, following the completion of a bachelor's degree. There are two main medical schools in New Zealand: the University of Auckland and the University of Otago. Each of these has subsidiary medical schools such as Otago's Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences and Auckland's Waikato Clinical School.

The final year (Year 6) of medical school is known as the "Trainee Intern" year where a student is known as a "Trainee Intern" (commonly, "TI"). Trainee interns receive a stipend grant from the New Zealand government. Currently this is $NZ 26,756/year (about $US 18,500). Trainee interns have responsibility under supervision for the care of about one third the patient workload of a junior doctor, however, all prescriptions and most other orders (e.g. radiology requests and charting of IV fluids) made by trainee interns must be countersigned by a registered doctor.

New Zealand medical schools currently award the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB).

People's Republic of China

Medical education is normally a five-year Bachelor degree, plus one year internship, and work experience before the final degree is awarded. Clinical specialization usually involves a two or three-year Master degree. Acceptance is based on the national entrance examination used for all universities.

Hong Kong (SAR of People's Republic of China)

The medical education in Hong Kong follows that of the British system. There are currently two Faculties of Medicine in Hong Kong, namely, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong. Together, these 2 universities produce 250 medical graduates a year (after a recent cut down). Medical education takes five years with an additional internship year. At the end of five years, the dual degree Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (abbreviated as MBBS at HKU and MBChB at CUHK) will be awarded. Graduates are then required to fulfill a year of internship training before registrating with the Medical Council of Hong Kong.

The University of Hong Kong has adopted the new "Problem Based Learning" (PBL) curriculum in 1997. The Chinese University has started a radical reform of its curriculum in 2000 and the transition has been completed in 2005 when the last cohort of students in the old curriculum has graduated. Both Universities' curriculum emphasise early clinical contact, evidence based medicine and life-long learning ability. Students in the Chinese University of Hong Kong can embark on an optional intercalated degree in Medical Science - after two years of study. While those in the University of Hong Kong can undertake an Intercalated Master of Research degree, which also takes an additional year of study.

The Philippines

Medical education in the Philippines became widespread under the American administration. The Americans, led by the insular government's Secretary of the Interior, Dean Worcester, built the University of the Philippines's College of Medicine and Surgery in 1905, with Johns Hopkins University, which at that time was one of the best medical schools in the world, as a blueprint. By 1909, nursing instruction was also begun at the Philippine Normal School. At present there are a number of medical schools in the Philippines, notable examples include the University of the Philippines, Manila, the University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle-Health Sciences Campus, and the University of the East.

Sweden

Medical education in Sweden consists of a five and a half year course after which one must practice for at least 18 months before a license can be granted. Medical school starts straight after Gymnasium (secondary school) and one needs 100% in GPA to get in. This seemingly high GPA requirement is due to the use of only three passing grades in Swedish schools and grade inflation. In fact, nowadays there are many times more applicants with perfect grades than available places, and students are therefore chosen by lottery. A certain percentage of students are also selected on the basis of other qualifications. Swedish medical education is considered relatively easy, and admission is seen as far the toughest obstacle a medical student faces.

Republic of China (Taiwan)

The medical education in the Republic of China (Taiwan) is usually 7 years in duration, starting right after high school. The reason for such a long period of study is because Taiwanese medical schools start from undergraduate. Currently, only Kaohsiung Medical University offers a 4-year medical program, similar to the US medical school system, for university degree holders.

Thailand

Most of the Thai medical schools are government-funded and require Thai citizenship for eligibility. Only one private medical school exists at the moment. Some Thais choose to attend the private medical school or attend a medical school in a foreign country due to relatively few positions and high college entrance examination scores required for enrollment in public medical schools. Generally those who did not graduate from a public medical college are not well received.

The Thai medical education is six years consisting of 3 pre-clinical and 3 clinical years. Upon graduation all medical students must pass the national examination and a university-based comprehensive test. After medical school, Thai medical graduates are under contract to spend one year of internship and two years of tenure in rural areas before they are eligible for most residency positions. Other than general clinical practice and basic emergency procedures, all Thai doctors are required by the Thai Medical Council to be able to perform six surgical operations, namely: appendectomy, caesarian section, circumcision, herniorapphy, tubal-ligation and vasectomy.

The students will receive Doctor of Medicine(MD) degree.

United Kingdom

Main article: Medical school (United Kingdom)

United States

Main article: Medical education in the United States

Medical students

A person accepted into a medical school and undertaking an educational program in medicine towards becoming a medical doctor is referred to as a medical student. Medical students are generally considered to be at the earliest stage of the medical career pathway.

Medical students typically undertake both theoretical studies and practical experience during their course, with the earlier years devoted more to the former, and the later years more focused on the latter. However in recent years the introduction of more vocational courses at UK universities such as Southampton, Leeds and Manchester have meant that learning is much more practical, with learning based around clinical experience.

See also

External links

Popular Medical Student and Premedical Student Web Sites

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