I just read an interesting article in the Medical Observer, and it's the not the first on this issue.
University of Melbourne began their graduate entry MD course this year, and the full-fee places cost over $219,852! The debate is whether this MD has been designed purely to circumvent the Federal restriction on Bachelor degree fees. Melbourne argues it is to reflect the postgraduate-level of the degree in-line with US med schools, versus undergraduate entry MBBS which has been the traditional stream for Commonwealth countries until recently. Masters degrees apparently don't have these restrictions. The MD is seemingly being marketed as a Masters.
You can read the full article via the link below.
What do I think? MBBS and MD as medical degrees have always been considered equivalent (not to be confused with the Commonwealth "Doctorate" much like a PhD). Whether you do a 5-6 year undergrad MBBS or a 4 year grad-entry MBBS, you still end up graduating at the same level. As will the new Melbourne MDs, and US MDs, and even me as an MD from OUM. We all start out as interns, PGY-1.
I personally recently decided to change to the MD stream at OUM because now MD students sit a separate assessment in basic sciences which is supposed to make sure they (we) are prepared for the USMLEs. I wanted to make sure I was also prepared for the USMLEs as I intend on sitting them. My friend doing the MBBS stream, for example, is not intending on sitting the USMLEs. Why? Because they cost over $2000 to sit, and the similar exam OUM provides is for free, and she is intending of working in Australia (or Samoa or NZ). She will sit the USMLEs if and when she decides to apply for residency in the US.
Also, if the University of Melbourne thinks "MD" is more appropriate and better than "MBBS", then they must be right? Right?
What does all this mean?
I don't have a clue, but I do have a sneaky suspicion Melbourne's trail-blazing may indeed create a sort of two-tiered graduate system (as was mentioned in the article). I hope not because I don't like tiers. There are tiers in ambulance and I don't think they provide better outcomes for the patient at all, but that is a whole other post. If the MD course wants to be a Masters, then be a Masters, or a dual MBBS/Masters. If it wants to have a semester of research, that's great, but that's what OUM is wanting to do too based on recommendations from PAASCU. And I'm sure there's other med courses which also have a strong research focus. (But how dare I compare the University of Melbourne to OUM, right?) Will "MD" be a more desirable set of letter to have after your name than MBBS in a few years...?
What does this all really mean to me? I'm not really sure and I don't think I really care. I just want to learn how to be a good doc, to graduate, and to find myself a job.
I just thought it was interesting, that's all.
Enjoy.
Fear MDs will lure students into specialties
University of Melbourne MD degree
University of Melbourne began their graduate entry MD course this year, and the full-fee places cost over $219,852! The debate is whether this MD has been designed purely to circumvent the Federal restriction on Bachelor degree fees. Melbourne argues it is to reflect the postgraduate-level of the degree in-line with US med schools, versus undergraduate entry MBBS which has been the traditional stream for Commonwealth countries until recently. Masters degrees apparently don't have these restrictions. The MD is seemingly being marketed as a Masters.
You can read the full article via the link below.
What do I think? MBBS and MD as medical degrees have always been considered equivalent (not to be confused with the Commonwealth "Doctorate" much like a PhD). Whether you do a 5-6 year undergrad MBBS or a 4 year grad-entry MBBS, you still end up graduating at the same level. As will the new Melbourne MDs, and US MDs, and even me as an MD from OUM. We all start out as interns, PGY-1.
I personally recently decided to change to the MD stream at OUM because now MD students sit a separate assessment in basic sciences which is supposed to make sure they (we) are prepared for the USMLEs. I wanted to make sure I was also prepared for the USMLEs as I intend on sitting them. My friend doing the MBBS stream, for example, is not intending on sitting the USMLEs. Why? Because they cost over $2000 to sit, and the similar exam OUM provides is for free, and she is intending of working in Australia (or Samoa or NZ). She will sit the USMLEs if and when she decides to apply for residency in the US.
Also, if the University of Melbourne thinks "MD" is more appropriate and better than "MBBS", then they must be right? Right?
What does all this mean?
I don't have a clue, but I do have a sneaky suspicion Melbourne's trail-blazing may indeed create a sort of two-tiered graduate system (as was mentioned in the article). I hope not because I don't like tiers. There are tiers in ambulance and I don't think they provide better outcomes for the patient at all, but that is a whole other post. If the MD course wants to be a Masters, then be a Masters, or a dual MBBS/Masters. If it wants to have a semester of research, that's great, but that's what OUM is wanting to do too based on recommendations from PAASCU. And I'm sure there's other med courses which also have a strong research focus. (But how dare I compare the University of Melbourne to OUM, right?) Will "MD" be a more desirable set of letter to have after your name than MBBS in a few years...?
What does this all really mean to me? I'm not really sure and I don't think I really care. I just want to learn how to be a good doc, to graduate, and to find myself a job.
I just thought it was interesting, that's all.
Enjoy.
Fear MDs will lure students into specialties
University of Melbourne MD degree
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