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We often hear older generations talk about how much more difficult they had it when they were young—and doctors are no
exception. It’s not uncommon to hear older physicians and younger physicians argue about whose training was more difficult.
But how does medical school today actually compare to medical school in the past? Let’s explore both sides of the argument
to determine who had it tougher.
Medical students today have much more information to learn compared to previous years. According to a 2011 article, the
doubling time of medical knowledge in 1950 was approximately 50 years. In 1980, it was 7 years. In 2010, it was 3.5 years.
And today, medical knowledge is believed to double every 2-3 months.
Although there is a lag between the primary literature and the information that is added to medical school curricula, students
are still learning much more information today than in previous years. Despite these vast increases in knowledge, medical
school is still the same duration that it has been for decades. Students complete 2 years of preclinical coursework followed by
2 years of clinicals. This means that students have to cram much more learning into those 4 short years.
That being said, the way that today’s medical students learn is very different than what it was for students in the past. We have
a much better understanding of how to optimize learning today. People have developed countless methods to be more efficient
with studying. From the Pomodoro method to the Feynman technique and spaced repetition, we have hacked our study
strategies so that we can learn more in less time.
In the past, medical students had to flip through their textbooks or notes to find the information they needed. Nowadays, you
can take out your phone, put your question into Google, and have more information than you could want on whatever topic
you’re trying to learn.
Beyond the amount of information and resources, however, there is also the fact that many schools nowadays are transitioning
to pass-fail curriculums. In fact, within the last year, USMLE Step 1, which has long been the most important test in
determining your competitiveness for residency, has also become pass-fail.
The goal of these changes has been to decrease stress and burnout among students as research has shown that student wellbeing is enhanced and academic performance is not negatively affected by pass-fail curriculums. That being said, due to the
nature of these curricula, students may need to spend more time on extracurricular activities such as research and leadership
to stand out for residency applications.
In addition, just because medical school curriculums and Step 1 are pass-fail doesn’t make them easy. Students must still put
in significant time and effort to pass while managing their other activities. As such it can be difficult to gauge how much time to
put into medical school classes vs studying for boards vs extracurricular activities. Achieving the perfect balance between all of
these responsibilities can often feel near impossible.
Disponível em: https://medschoolinsiders.com/pre-med/medical-school-today-vs-in-the-past/. Acesso em: 7 maio 2025. (Adaptado).
According to the text, medical students, in the past,
