Monday, May 26, 2008

Necessary

I've often wondered if the 4th year of medical school is really necessary. Many medstudents spend the majority of this year taking electives in their respective desired fields, easier rotations during interview season, and often have months off with little to no patient interaction leading up to July. It's clearly no wonder that a July syndrome is often seen in many incoming interns.

I've been reviewing over the last few months, but it's hit and miss. There are things that come up and I feel guilty trying to study about diseases and physiology when the family has come home - I won't have this much time with them again in, well, probably ever. So I close the review books (because by now I've admitted that I just really should review the basics again before getting too in depth on anything) and head outside to play one-on-one with my son, teach my daughter how to ride a two-wheel, or take care of wife.

I think that a full year of 4th year, while nice in the time off you often get, really is a hinderance to many students. I knew far more and was multitudes more ready to enter the "real world" of medicine last July, not this one.

Personally I think it would be better for programs to have earlier interview times in the early fall, find out where you matched in December, and then enter your program in January or February. The students would be better prepared, less rusty, and far more capable of handling the first couple weeks of internship. The syndrome would still be in place, but not as pronounced as it is currently.

Hell, if there was a real consideration to drop the 80 hour work week to 56 we could lengthen the residency training based on reducing some of the 4th year requirements and letting med students into training 6 months earlier.

So, is a full 4th year really necessary? I don't think so.

5 comments:

OMDG said...

If you think about it, I'll basically be finished with med school in a little over 3 years, since we cram the first two years into 1.5 years and start clerkships 1/2 through 2nd year.

Come to think of it, we really *could* be finished in 3 years flat if we only got rid of that worthless summer break between 1st and 2nd year that exists solely to appease the fresh out of college kids. How'd YOU like $60K less in debt? Interesting idea.

Liana said...

I did my MD in less than 3 years (Aug 2003-April 2006). Our clerkship was 13 months. We don't have much of a summer break between first and second year (2 weeks) and there's no summer break between second and third year.

I think it's a good idea, and I'm surprised that more schools don't do this.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to have less debt. Plus another aspect of the 4 years is that it allowed some of my classmates to graduate on time whom I was quite unfond of - I had hoped to not see them get their hoods. Nice, I know.

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