AMC results show that US doctors are not the best in the world.

The Australian Medical Council examination for internationally trained doctors is open to any medical professional who has been awarded a primary degree in medicine and surgery issued by a medical school listed in the (WHO) World Directory of Medical Schools, or other publications approved by the Council.   

The results from these examinations show that the US is a long way from having the best trained doctors in the world.

The results also show that doctors with medical degrees labeled "Bachelor" perform significantly better than doctors with degrees labeled "Doctor".  This occurs in spite of the fact that medical Bachelor degrees are typically completed in 5-6 years post non-US "High School"  while North American Doctorates are completed in 7-8 years post US "High School".  

The reason why the US primary medical degree takes so long to complete post "High School" is that US High School is academically behind the rest of the developed world.  (See the TIMSS Report)  In countries where primary professional training is completed in a Bachelor degree, the pre-requisite science courses are completed in the last two years of Secondary School and the 5-6 year medical Bachelor degree includes training in surgery.  In the US the pre-requisite science studies are completed in the first three years of a US "College Bachelor" with no room allocated in the remainder of the degree for professional medical training.  The subsequent medical doctorate, while nominally a "higher degree", only provides four years of full-time theoretical training in medicine, and excludes training in surgery.  US Primary Care Physicians with a basic MD do not have sufficient training to engage in the same level of general medical care as UK or Australasian-trained General Practitioners with a basic undergraduate degree in medicine. 

The moral of all this is that the name of a degree and the number of years it takes to complete following the last year of  "High School", are poor indicators of the level of professional knowledge and skill which a qualification imparts to its graduates.    There is no international agreement about the standards of level or content required to name a credential.  

Cached copy

Excerpts from the AMA Policy Compendium Related to International Medical Graduates

The American Medical Association believes that the quality of a physician's medical education is an appropriate consideration in the recruitment and licensure of physicians and discrimination against physicians on the basis of the country in which they completed their medical education is inappropriate.

Cached copy

Mexican medical imports

Jan 20, 2003

Legislation enacted to allow non-US-accredited Mexican-trained doctors and dentists to practice in California - under supervision, for two years, and only in assigned non-profit clinics.

Cached copy

Most foreign-born doctors flunk Florida test -- again

April 3, 2000

Cached copy