William Henry Howell and Harriette Lombard Hennessy

“ The standard of preliminary requirements for entrance to the medical schools is being gradually raised, and a large number of the states demand a certificate of a high school education, while the colleges comprising the Association of Medical Colleges, which numbers more than half the American medical schools, accept as an entrance standard a certificate of at least one year's study at a high school. ”

“ In other states any body of men may secure articles of incorporation of a college or school by paying the necessary state fee, without question as to the ability of the incorporator to furnish an education. ”

“ In the early history of the country, before and shortly after the beginning of the 19th century, the few medical colleges had shown a disposition to require a liberal education on the part of those who entered upon their courses, and some effort was made, United States. ”

“ The Council satisfies itself that its requirements are acted on, and that the examinations are “sufficient,” by cycles of inspection about every five years. The examination of each licensing body is visited by an inspector, who forwards his report to the Council, which sends each report to the body for its information and remarks. As yet it has never been the duty of the Council to report to the Privy Council that any examination has not been found sufficient.
Most universities exact attendance at more classes than the colleges and halls ”

“ No one can practise medicine in France who does not possess the diploma of Doctor of Medicine of a French university. The qualification of Officier de santé is no longer granted. Before he can inscribe as a student of medicine the applicant must have obtained the diplomas of Bachelier ès lettres and Bachelier ès sciences. Although the course of professional France. study may be completed in four years, a longer time is generally taken before the student proceeds to the final examination for the doctor's degree. ”

“ In the report for 1908 of the United States bureau of education of 71 schools, which report the number of their students having an arts degree, it is stated that a degree was held by only 15% of the candidates in medicine. ”

“ That the existence of a college depended solely upon the fees of the students encouraged the tendency to make both entrance and graduation requirements as easy as possible, especially as there was no state supervision, and the mere possession of a diploma entitled the holder to practise. ”

“ So strong, however, has been the growth of American public opinion that a four-years course of medical training has become the standard in medical schools, and in the majority this is in addition to one or two years' training in the natural sciences. ”

“ But with these exceptions the system of professional education is fairly uniform. Since 1875 attendance on “practical” classes has been called for in all subjects. Under this system the larger classes in which the subjects are taught systematically are broken up, and the students are taught the use of apparatus and the employment of methods of investigation and observation. ”

“ MEDICAL EDUCATION. Up to 1858 each University, Royal College of Physicians or of Surgeons, and Apothecaries’ Hall in Great Britain and Ireland laid down its own regulations for study and examination, and granted its degree or licence without any State supervision. In that year, pursuant to the Medical Act,Great Britain and Ireland. 21 & 22 Vict. c. 90, the General Medical Council of Medical Education and Registration was established, consisting of twenty-three members, of whom seventeen were appointed by the various licensing bodies and six by the Crown. ”

“ In exceptional cases, the same from a classical gymnasium outside the German empire may be considered sufficient. (For details of the course of study and examinations, see Minutes of the General Medical Council, vol. xxvii. appendix 3.) (b) Certificate from a university, certifying a course of medical study of at least nine half-years at a university of the German empire. (c) Certificate that the candidate has passed, entirely at a German university, the medical Vorprüfung, and thereafter has attended for at least four half-years the medical studies of a university. ”