Hard school- any disadvantage?

Watson_amp_Crick
Sun, 04 Nov 2007 11:38:29 +0000

“How does one pick a field in France?”

You register at a college with proof of high school graduation. Then choose a field (you have to complete forms etc…). You directly start with courses only in your field. If you “survive” the courses, you can continue on with higher level courses.

For engineering, pharmacy and medecine, it is different. To become an engineer, you have to take 2 yrs of ‘pre-engineering’ where you study only physical sciences and math (the other subjects are studied minimally). THen there is a exam at the “Grande Ecole” where the top students are accepted, and it’s another 3 yrs of engineering school (you end up with the equivalent of a MS).

For medecine/pharmacy, it’s also survival of the fittest.

pmyen,
“What if he did not complete his program?”


Most people who failed so many times as he did would not have the courage to complete the program anyway. He is an extreme case. 99% would have abandoned right after 2nd yr if they failed so many times.
“That is a lot of wasted time”
I don’t see why it is wasted, considering he learnt the skills to become a doctor. Do you suggest he could have skipped those years and still practice medecine? I think that there is an academic standard all doctors should have, and that skipping without meeting that standard is not a good idea.
“the U.S. has more medical students over the age of 30 than Europe or Asia”


I also believe this, but I think it has more to do with the drive of American people than with the system. You have to realize that not everyone can pay the thousands of dollars to go back to school, and still be successful. Americans succeed DESPITE the sytem, not because of it.

Of course, I think that empirically, the US system seems to do a good job in terms of diversity in medical school study body. However, the data showing that US doctors are the greatest users of drugs, those who divorce the most, those who die youngest is undeniable. I think it is related to the pressure of medical debt and harsh medical system (80-100hrs work/week is pretty crazy in my opinion). Those things are less pervasive in EU.