Kansas.-University of Kansas, School of Medicine..... Michigan.-University of Michigan, Department of Medicine and Surgery. Nebraska.-University of Nebraska, College of Medicine. New York.-Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons. Cornell University, Medical College.. Syracuse University, College of Medicine. North Carolina.-Leonard Medical School..... Wake Forest College School of Medicine.. North Dakota.-University of North Dakota, School of Medicine. Medical College of the University of Cincinnati.. Pennsylvania.-University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine.. South Dakota.-University of South Dakota, College of Medicine. Requirement in force. 1909 1893 1900 1909 1907 1910 1912 . 1909 . 1910 1910 1908 1910 1914 1908 1907 1901 . 1913 1910 1913 1909 1910 .. 1910 The following 50 colleges require, in addition to a four-year highschool course, one year of college work in physics, chemistry, biology, and a modern language, the requirement beginning in the year given: Alabama-University of Alabama, School of Medicine... District of Columbia-George Washington University, Medical School. College of Medical Evangelists... University of Georgia, Medical Department.. Illinois-Bennett Medical College........... Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery.. Kentucky University of Louisville, Medical Department.. Louisiana-Tulane University of Louisiana, School of Medicine. Maine Medical School of Maine..... Maryland-College of Physicians and Surgeons.. University of Maryland, School of Medicine.. Massachusetts-Boston University, School of Medicine.. Michigan Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery.... University of Michigan, Homeopathic Medical College....... Mississippi-University of Mississippi, Department of Medicine.. Missouri-St. Louis University, School of Medicine... American Medical College.. Kansas City Hahnemann Medical College... Nebraska-John A. Creighton Medical College... In force. 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1910 1912 . 1914 . 1914 1914 1914 1914 . 1912 . 1914 . 1910 1914 1914 1914 New York-Albany Medical College. Fordham University, School of Medicine.. Long Island College Hospital................ University and Bellevue Hospital Medical College. North Carolina-University of North Carolina, School of Medicine... Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia.. Temple University, Department of Medicine.. South Carolina-Medical College of the State of South Carolina.. University of Tennessee, College of Medicine... University of West Tennessee, College of Medicine and Surgery. Texas Texas Christian University, School of Medicine...... Southern Methodist University, Medical Department.. Vermont-University of Vermont, College of Medicine.. University of Virginia, Department of Medicine.. In force. 1914 1914 1914 1912 1914 1910 1914 1914 1910 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1910 1913 1914 1912 1914 1910 1911 1914 Five of the medical colleges reported in the above list as now requiring one year of collegiate work for admission have announced that all students admitted in the session of 1915-16 and thereafter will be required to have completed two years of collegiate work. They are: University of Alabama, School of Medicine. Marquette University, School of Medicine. That the low-standard colleges are the ones which are disappearing and that the colleges with more reasonably high standards are increasing is clearly indicated by chart 1 and the figures accompanying it. Chart 2 shows the increase of higher standard colleges by percentages. Whereas in 1904 less than 3 per cent of the medical colleges in the United States were requiring one or more years of collegiate work for admission, this year 83 per cent have adopted that standard, and 5 others have definitely announced the requirement to begin in 1915. As shown by the heavier shading, the number of medical colleges requiring two or more years of collegiate work for admission has increased from 2.5 per cent in 1904 to 33.7 per cent in 1914, and CHART 2.-ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS TO MEDICAL COLLEGES. Showing percentage increase by years in the number of colleges requiring (light shading) one year and heavy shading) two or more years of collegiate work for admission. Unshaded portion of chart shows proportion requiring a high-school course, or less, for entrance. The special campaign for higher standards of preliminary education began in 1904. All colleges were urged to adopt a requirement of a year devoted to physics, chemistry, and several others have announced the requirement to begin in 1915. The adoption of higher requirements by medical colleges is leading to the adoption of similar requirements by State medical licensing boards. STATE REQUIREMENTS OF HIGHER PRELIMINARY EDUCATION. Twenty-five States have now adopted requirements of preliminary education in addition to a standard four-year high-school education. These States, the number of college years required, and the time the higher requirement becomes effective are given in Table 4. TABLE 4.-States requiring higher standard of preliminary education. It is worthy of comment that the adoption of higher standards of preliminary education by State licensing boards has invariably followed and not preceded the adoption of such requirements by the colleges in those States, showing that the action by the colleges was voluntary and not forced. This is perhaps the best guaranty that the higher standards will be enforced and that the change will be permanent. As shown in chart 3, the number of States adopting higher standards has increased steadily since 1907. Now 25 States have adopted the requirement of one or more years of work beyond a four-year high-school education, including college courses in physics, chemistry, and biology, and 7 of these require two years of collegiate work, including the sciences named. CHART 3.-STATE BOARD REQUIREMENTS OF PRELIMINARY EDUCATION. Showing the percentage increase by years in the number of States in which (light shading) one year and (heavy shading) two years of collegiate work have been adopted as the minimum standard of preliminary education. 100. 100 Early in the campaign for higher entrance requirements for medical schools, January 1, 1908, was mentioned as the date when the requirement should begin. It was found that readjustments would not permit of a general adoption of the higher standard at that time and another date was fixed at January 1, 1910. Several States followed the action of their respective State universities and fixed the requirement of preliminary education at two years of collegiate work rather than one. The action of the American Medical Association in making the requirement of at least one year of collegiate work in addition to a high-school education as essential for a class A rating after January 1, 1914, has been supported by legal action in several States. The effects of the various steps alluded to can be seen in the above chart. |