Accelerated Medical School Curriculum

Concern over the nation's health manpower needs has had significant effects upon medical education. Medical schools have reacted by the establishment of accelerated curricula. Most medical specialty boards have accepted the internship as a year of residency training, thus reducing the length of training required for certification.

Approximately one third of the nation's medical schools now offer a three-year program or offer their students the option of graduating from medical school within three years of admission.¹ Swanson² observed that The three-year medical school concept has become a popular idea.... The popularity of the three-year medical school concept among the public and their legislative representatives stems in part from the belief that the length of medical education places a hardship on students and from the desire to increase physician output by the one-time benefit of graduating two classes simultaneously.

Many have questioned whether these are appropriate reasons for a