While medical schools revamp curriculum and test innovative learning strategies, most physicians and physicians-in-training believe medical school should still last four years, according to a survey of faculty, students and alumni residents and physicians from Ohio State University College of Medicine.
The "State of Medical Education" survey was answered by 793 respondents ages 18 – 75.
Respondents reported the following opinions on medical education.
- 64 percent of respondents believe medical school should last four years.
- 24 percent of respondents believe it could be condensed into three years.
- 8 percent of respondents believe medical school should be at least five years.
- More students and residents (35 percent) thought medical school should be shortened to three years than current faculty (27 percent).
- 56 percent of respondents believe students should start seeing patients in their first year of medical school.
- 33 percent believe students should first see patients in their second year.
- More students and residents, ages 18 – 34, (72 percent) think students should see patients in their first year than respondents over 65 years old (41 percent).
- Respondents ranked clinical problem solving as the most important skill learned in medical school, followed by learning how to keep up with discoveries and education after graduation, bedside manner and teamwork.
- Technology training and clinical research education were ranked as the least important skills acquired in medical school.
More articles on integration and physician issues:
What if we were wrong about the physician shortage?