Education

How training to become a doctor in France differs from the United States

Education

November 22, 2009

Among the many differences between the U.S. and the French health-care systems is the approach to medical training. While U.S. medical school graduates in 2008 had an average debt of $154,000, French medical students receive their training virtually for free. For example, first-year medical students at the Faculte de Medecine Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris have only one mandatory cost for this year: an enrollment fee of $264.

The amount …

Should the MCAT grant extra time for students with learning disabilities?

Kevin

Education

March 22, 2009

A recent California court denied extra time for aspiring medical students with dyslexia and attention deficit disorder when taking the MCAT.

The body that administers the test has to straddle a delicate line, in granting extra time to a broadening definition of the disabled student versus maintaining the overall fairness and integrity of the high stakes test.

Despite the ruling, three of the four plaintiffs have gone …

Is there a place for a part-time medical residency?

Kevin

Education

November 25, 2008

Doctors in training often do so in their prime family-rearing years.

A few pediatric residencies are offering part-time residency options, designed for those who also want to raise their own families. Proponents argue that residents can not only get more rest, but also avoid depression, which affected almost a quarter of pediatrics residents.

Combined with the talk of further limiting work hours down to 56 …