Cdm, often the human brain is not fully developed at 18, it takes time and life experience. This is why the American model of education is better than the UK and others because it allows the individual to grow as a person before they enter any professional field i.e. Medicine, Dentistry, Law, etc

The UK system has to spoon feed their future professionals because they are fresh out of high school and like in any teenager, often the raging hormones are in control rather than their own self. So it is often difficult for someone at that age to realize things that are beyond their narrow view of the world. Again, life experience will slowly change some things as they and their brain grow to their full potential.

The other side of the independent study pathway in basic sciences issue that no one seems to offer on this forum is as follows:

In my view, a person who is capable of learning and passing all the licensing exams via the independent study pathway is more well prepared for life as a doctor than some 18 yr old who has to be spoon fed all the material so that they can go back home and do the homework given to them.

As a doctor you have to be prepared to be a life long self learner because you will not have anyone to spoon feed you once you are out of med school. The PBL independent study pathway, besides teaching the basic sciences effectively, will also make the student a self learner without relying just on what is taught in a class room.

People try to argue that you cannot learn anatomy or any other subject in medicine on your own. On the other hand, I think this can also be said for on-campus or integrated pathway learning. I mean, how many people who sit in a class room truly come out of the class saying "yes, I got all of that, am ready for the exam now"? How many people truly believe that they learned where a particular muscle or nerve is in the body after spending few hours each week with 6-8 other students around a cadaver? I would like an answer for this one from the self appointed medical education experts on this forum who mostly post only one side of this issue. It would be interesting to get the views of 3rd year residents (who obviously have been out of basic sciences anatomy lab for a few years by now) and practicing physicians on this issue. Do they remember their anatomy labs and lectures or do they actually remember what they studied on their own for their exams?

In my opinion, there is just one thing that is essential in both these models: self study. You can go to every lecture and lab on campus but if you dont study and learn the material, you will not pass the exams. So anyone who knows their stuff and passes the USMLE exams is and should be considered as an equal to any grad from an integrated pathway curriculum.

I think those people who enroll in the independent study pathway and do not study or are not capable will not pass the USMLEs & thus they are filtered out anyway. This also happens in the integrated pathway curriculum.

I think both methods work, but as Genossa mentioned somewhere, it has to be done responsibly. There should be good quality assurance program in place and yes, although the anatomy labs may or may not help, it would be good for the students who havent been in healthcare, prior to enrollment, to at least see a cadaver.