I thought about this too, but in the end, I don't think it is a good idea to allow people to jump straight to med/law or any other graduate program for a few reasons:
- For one, people just aren't ready at 18 years old. I am in a graduate program in the basic sciences (immuno) and it is difficult enough (even with a BS in biology) - I can't imagine tackling it 5 years ago
If you want to argue for an age requirement, then fine. I would disagree (even completely cutting out a 4 year degree, one would not become a full-fledged doctor until 25 at a minimum), but requiring a bachelor's just to make someone "older" is silly.
Also, did you know that it's harder for people to get accepted to medical school as they get older? Clearly medical schools don't agree with this line of thought if they prefer 22 year olds over older people.
- they don't require a specific degree, but they do require specific classes, many of which serve to weed people out. I am glad pre-meds have to take organic chem (they better know how the drugs they give me work), and if you let people into med school without some of these classes, you will have a lot dropping out in the first semester (just like half the pre-meds change their mind after failing orgo)
These classes can be rolled into the first year of medical school. It is not hard to give someone basic biology, chemistry, calculus, English, and organic chemistry in one year, and the higher courseload would be more representative of medical school anyway. You can cut out the labs because, realistically, labs are useless to someone who isn't going to go into research. That still cuts off 3 years of undergraduate school.
Medical schools also screen applicants with the MCAT in addition to grades. That standardized test is weighted fairly heavily into one's acceptance, similar to the ASTB for pilots. If that test is at all accurate in predicting performance in medical school, then schools would not have to worry about a significantly higher dropout rate. All you'd be doing is substituting high school grades for college grades.
Mind you, there already are "3+3" programs where students can apply for a medical school spot directly out of high school, so it's not like medical schools are completely adverse to accepting students from high school.
- a lot of what you learn in college may not directly translate to your professional field, but there are certainly a lot of general skills that people (should) acquire in college, such as writing/communicating in an effective and professional manner, while also learning to deal with more freedom than you have had before
Haha...haha...doctors can "write." You got me there. Good one.
Seriously, though...while there are some doctors who publish papers and such, the majority of doctors who never write anything outside of filling out forms and prescriptions.
Also, while I agree that college can help one grow as a person, I disagree with the notion that these skills cannot be learned while in medical school.
Finally, after working in corporate America for a couple years prior to joining the Navy, I can tell you that many college graduates are no better at "writing and communicating" than high school graduates. There's a large attitude of "spellcheck will fix it."
- add to that the fact that most 18 year olds have NO idea of what they will want to do a few years down the line - college gives you a chance to try a few things out and then hopefully make a more educated decision
These same 18 year olds can figure that out in the workplace rather than at college all the same. All a 4 year degree does is make people in these professions feel entitled to higher pay because they had more schooling.
on the other hand though - I agree that it is seems silly that we have not been increasing the number of medical schools - perhaps there is a decent reason but I don't know it...
My guess is to keep the medical profession "elite." But that's just a guess.
In short, everything that is gained from an undergraduate education can also be gained while in medical school with some restructuring of the curriculum. In fact, there are many countries, such as England, for example, utilize this very system.
While we're at it, why did I need an Aerospace engineering degree to be a pilot? Or "any 4 year degree" to become an officer? Similar argument.
Why do you? You asked your question in a rhetorical manner, but I couldn't come up with a good reason why you would outside of the fact that it's the status quo.
There are a lot of jobs that require a 4-year degree these days that were done by high school graduates a couple decades ago. The world didn't fall apart then, so what's the difference now?
