Concern is growing that out-of-control expansion in the number of medical schools is diluting the quality of medical education.
In a report delivered during the World Medical Association's September general assembly in Helsinki, Dr. Hans Karle said the number of medical schools has increased to nearly 2000 today from around 1300 in 1995, and the 54% increase worries him.
“The quality of education in some schools is not good enough,” said Karle, president of the World Federation for Medical Education. “Some of these schools are badly needed, but many are being set up simply as businesses to attract students who cannot get into medical schools in their own countries.”
The for-profit schools are especially popular in areas such as the Caribbean. They accept students who have no chance of meeting the requirements of much more rigorous medical schools in areas such as North America and the United Kingdom. Canada has 16 medical schools, with a 17th slated to open in Northern Ontario in 2005. The Canadian schools currently attract more than 4 qualified applicants for every available space.
The WMA has thrown its support behind the federation's global standards program, which aims to improve and implement quality standards for medical education throughout the world. It has developed standards for basic and postgraduate education and CME programs. — Patrick Sullivan, CMAJ