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Originally Posted by soon2bMS
One cannot do an entire medical program online. We're talking basic science here people. That's not the entire medical education.
One can argue that one cannot learn basic science online. However, this is just what people think. There are plenty of medical school that are starting to use online programs and PBL to revolutionize medical education. Many school have done away with cadaver use and turned to online and cross sectional anatomy. At some school attendence to lectures are not mandatory and students can download lecture notes online or through powerpoint. How do I know? Students from SDN have said so. And, Harvard University and McMaster in Canada are doing it now.
What will determine if one can learn basic science online is the USMLE. I know people who has passed their USMLE step 1 after finishing Basic science online. I know students from my school who have passed USMLE step 2. And, I know students who are in Residency now from my school. Until I start to see people who have done online programs fail the USMLE, then I'll say that one can't learn basic science online. Until then, what people say is just what they think. That's ok. We are all allowed to think and feel as we may.
However, please stop saying that one can do their entire medical education online because one can't. If one does, then it is not a true medical school because most countries that I know about require you do some form of clinical experience which one cannot do online.
For those that say you can't do basic science online, prove me wrong. Show me some USMLE scores of those who have done their basic science online and failed and I will consider what you say as being fact.
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Hi,
You appear to have researched the issue of online studies. I have spoken to a number of PDs; alot do not seem to care where you did your medical studies, mainly basic sciences. One point that was made to me is that one cannot truly determine the quality of education outside the US. So, most rely on the USMLE as a baseline for decision making.
When I was a perfusionist back in the late 70's and early 80's, I could still remember the severe ridicule inflicted upon Carribean med students, SGU and AUG. Then, shortly after these two schools, Ross came into the picture. It just seems like yesterday when many wanted these schools shut down. A friend of mine went through Cook County, family practice. Then, they were mainly older individuals; a number of these individuals had transferred between Carrib schools or went to South America. He actually went, initially to SGU, but transferred due to political climate. His attendings and residents gave him attitude on occasion; however, the most severe resistance came from people, who were outside the medical profession.
While most of the people here seem to give very good, sporadic rationals why online education should not be fully accepted. I have not yet reviewed a coherent argument against it; just as in the 70's and 80's, why the carribean schools could not be a viable alternative to US medical schools if one had multiple rejections or other disappointing circumstances. The rationals against basic sciences online are virtually identical to the past rationals against Carribean schools. For example, licensing and quality clinical exposure prior to the wards for the last two years of medical school. I still remember the primary objection by one PD against Carribean schools, that they lacked adequate clinicals. At the time, it was seen as suspicious that these off shore schools would cut their students loose after the basic sciences to hospitals in US clinical settings when most of the medical schools around the world have substantial clinical facilities. Even if they did get US clinicals, I witnessed so-called 'separate-but-equal wards". Also, I remember a non-medical advocate propose in the early 80's that a foreign-educated medical graduate be required to have most if not all of his/her clinical training be in the country where the medical school was located. He wanted to eliminate all Carribean schools. However, it seems that there are at least two moderators from AUG and SGU, who have been to quality residencies and are already or will be fully licensed.
Furthermore, I find it difficult to understand the resistance against acceptance of online studies for the first two years. There are a number of US medical schools that have incorporated this into their curriculum. For example, Harvard, Loyola, Northwestern, and Stanford. The trend in US medical basic sciences is to lower the class time hours. After reviewing the rate of innovation, it is a matter of time before the entire curriculum, basic sciences and some clinical procedures, will be online. One example, Northwestern University has a procedure in place where PBL sessions, anatomy and neuroscience lectures can be reviewed at a future date.
Again, I do not see all the issues against online studies. That really is for the self-appointed experts. However, I also never fully accepted the rationals against the Carribean schools in the past. I believe just as in the case of the Carribean schools; it is dependent on time and money before online basic sciences will be seen as an equally viable alternative. It is fundamentally the individual, who must take full responsibility for his education and career.