Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
William S. James (1) may be ready for a UK wide system of graduate-
entry medical education but are we sure that UK medical education is ready
for graduates? Absurdities remain at all stages of the current training
system - the JCHMT states that a three year doctorate completed before or
during medical school will count less towards specialty training than, for
example, a weekend of research as an SHO (2). What signal does this send
to those engaged in BM-PhD programs? Graduate entrants to medicine have
been reported to find medical school more stressful than school leavers
(3). Perhaps the suggested (4) national quantitative assessment of
knowledge (analogous to the US medical licensing exams, USMLE) would allow
selection and then fasttracking of the motivated through foundation
competencies while still in medical school thus avoiding stress associated
with feelings of stagnation felt by some graduates while completing a
training program designed, and paced, for school leavers. Might the
current "fluid" state of MMC allow the incorporation of foundation years
into a five year integrated graduate-entry medicine training program?
Will revised specialty training “run through” programs accommodate and
acknowledge any postgraduate research training (especially that funded by
research councils and resulting in graduate degrees) without reference to
the date of medical qualification? Might such joined-up thinking even
encourage more scientists into clinical training and help address the
shortage of clinical academics?
I await the answers with interest but in
the meanwhile I’m not going to stop studying for the USMLEs just yet…
1. James WS. Students need education fit for professional and public
life. BMJ 2005;331:966 (22 October)
Are Medical Schools Fit for Graduates?
William S. James (1) may be ready for a UK wide system of graduate-
entry medical education but are we sure that UK medical education is ready
for graduates? Absurdities remain at all stages of the current training
system - the JCHMT states that a three year doctorate completed before or
during medical school will count less towards specialty training than, for
example, a weekend of research as an SHO (2).
What signal does this send
to those engaged in BM-PhD programs? Graduate entrants to medicine have
been reported to find medical school more stressful than school leavers
(3). Perhaps the suggested (4) national quantitative assessment of
knowledge (analogous to the US medical licensing exams, USMLE) would allow
selection and then fasttracking of the motivated through foundation
competencies while still in medical school thus avoiding stress associated
with feelings of stagnation felt by some graduates while completing a
training program designed, and paced, for school leavers.
Might the
current "fluid" state of MMC allow the incorporation of foundation years
into a five year integrated graduate-entry medicine training program?
Will revised specialty training “run through” programs accommodate and
acknowledge any postgraduate research training (especially that funded by
research councils and resulting in graduate degrees) without reference to
the date of medical qualification? Might such joined-up thinking even
encourage more scientists into clinical training and help address the
shortage of clinical academics?
I await the answers with interest but in
the meanwhile I’m not going to stop studying for the USMLEs just yet…
1. James WS. Students need education fit for professional and public
life. BMJ 2005;331:966 (22 October)
2. http://www.jchmt.org.uk/faq.asp - point 14 (accessed 25th October
2005 22.36)
3. Rolfe IE, Ringland C, Pearson SA. Graduate entry to medical
school? Testing some assumptions. Med Educ. 2004 Jul;38(7):778-86.
4. Wass V. Ensuring medical students are "fit for purpose." BMJ
2005;331: 791-2. (8 October.)
Competing interests:
Graduate Entry Medical Student
Competing interests: No competing interests