UK medical school inferior to US medical school?

[jane2]

This seems to be the predominant view of Americans. Is this just the arrogance of our trans-Atlantic cousins, or is there any truth in the view that the American medical schools offer a better education than UK ones? It's certainly harder to get into a good US school, witha great deal more effort required.

Has anyone ever heard of a British person going to medical school in America?

[Quantaanima]

yeah but the Americans think they are better at everything!

[jane2]

Well, I know. But what I'm asking is - are they right on this one? Their med schools are richer, better equipped, and their med students are harder working and there's a much lower dropout rate.

[The Messiah]

Their med schools are richer becasue they are more expensive.

I planned on studying med in the US. But I decided not to as it was too expensive. My parents have my other siblings to worry about also....

Also graduating at the age of 105 didn't appeal to me somehow

[jane2]

So do you think they provide a better education?

[Shobhit Arya]

Originally Posted by jane2

Well, I know. But what I'm asking is - are they right on this one? Their med schools are richer, better equipped, and their med students are harder working and there's a much lower dropout rate.

I think they benefit hugely from having a totally Post Graduate medical degree. This means that the applicants tend to be older, usually more mature in their attitude and very sure about medicine as a career. This results in a much lower dropout rate.

My cousin studies in the States and certainly their exams are much more rigorous than ours but the overall quality of care and competence of their doctors, which is what you're really going to judge a medical system by at the end of the day, is very similar to ours.

I think the consensus is also that although american doctors have very in depth knowledge, they rely less on clinical skills due to the pervasiveness and affordability of modern technology e.g. MRI/CT/PET etc for cases where they wouldnt even be considered in the UK.

But in my opinion, US med schools are better than their British counterparts but the doctors they produce are not better than the average British qualified physician (afterall, why would a UK medical system be regarded so well and copied worldwide if it werent the case?)

[Makey]

American medical schools cost $$$$$$$ which plays a huge role in their accessibility (and may be a reason why they’ve such low drop out rates and are harder working), to be honest I'd say there's little if no difference between the two. At the end of the day, you’re probably gonna specialise (for several years) in some field or another, which places American doctors and European doctors on a level playing field. Bear in mind as well that medicine in America is a graduate degree, so it’s structured differently to its UK counterpart.

I hate generalising but, Americans aren't always necessarily better at everything…

No treatment without healthcare
The death penalty
Banning teaching of evolution in some schools
Iraq and countless other countries…

[Shobhit Arya]

Originally Posted by Makey

I hate generalising but, Americans aren't always necessarily better at everything…

Even so you have to admire their business acumen, entrepreneurial skill and the fact that its the leading place for innovation in almost all fields of science and technology. Thats why they;re the World's only superpower

[Makey]

Personally, I don’t admire America, it is the embodiment of the capitalist society and has thus spiralled out of moral control (despite what Mr. Bush has peddled to the masses). It’s no longer a free country, it’s really run by huge (corrupt) corporations which lobby (a legal bribe) government members to get their own way. The rich flourish and the poor flounder, and that’s what has happened with their healthcare system. Superpower=Superbully, I certainly don’t admire that.

“it’s the leading place for innovation in almost all fields of science and technology”, hmmmmm maybe but prove it to me. I’d hedge my bets that most of the worlds’ predominantly forward/scientific thinking minds are not in fact American.

[Sipadan]

Originally Posted by Makey

I’d hedge my bets that most of the worlds’ predominantly forward/scientific thinking minds are not in fact American.

No, but they're probably working in America