A letter from Doogie

Dear Dean Leong:

I read with interest your report about graduates of 3 year medical schools, where you reported that accelerated pathway program graduates may be just as prepared for residency training and have less debt than those in traditional programs, according to an Oct. 25 news release from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine citing an Aug. 10 study published in the Journal of Academic Medicine.

Researchers analyzed responses from more than 40,000 medical students, 90 of which graduated from accelerated programs, who graduated in 2017 and 2018 and compared reported satisfaction with education and learning environment, levels of debt and burnout, preparedness for residency and career plans between graduates of accelerated and traditional programs.

In addition to less debt, students in accelerated programs reported a more positive learning climate than non-accelerated program students and were equally satisfied with their education, according to the report.

"These programs have great potential to address physician shortages and rising costs of medical education," said Shou Ling Leong , MD, lead researcher and assistant dean for pathways innovation and professor of family and community medicine at the College of Medicine. "Students in accelerated programs start practicing medicine one year earlier and data from our study indicate that these graduates feel just as prepared as their peers for residency, while also having less debt."

Graduates of a three-year medical school program performed as well as their four-year counterparts, according to a study of the nation's first three-year MD program for all residency programs.?

Achievement has been a salve for self-doubt for many generations. But many of the oldest members of Gen Z, who came of age amid COVID-19, think differently about the value of work.

As someone who accelerated through premed and medical education, I would like to share my thoughts about accelerated programs such as yours, the one at Penn State, Albany Medical College and similar programs. I graduated from Jefferson Medical College and interacted with several students in this program in what I believe was a 6-year program.

Here is a guide to accelerated 3 year medical schools and accelerated 6 year fast track programs

Here are the pros and cons of skipping grades.

There are significant socio-emotional issues with graduating early which I experienced:

1. A lack of self esteem ,insecurity and fear of not being good enough
2. Imposter syndrome
3. High achiever thinking
4. Passivity and unwillingness to challenge the status quo or rock the boat
5. Inability to participate in social events with friends because of age constraints
6. Patients who are suspect of your abilities at such a young age
7. What's the hurry? Is the reduction in debt worth the younger years you will never regain?
8. Low emotional intelligence
9. Discrimination, bullying and harassment from classmates
10. Being a misfit in a residency program after graduation and suspect as an attending when I was meaningfully younger than the residents I supervised during the first few years.
11. Possible susceptibility to burn out , anxiety and depression
12. Overachiever syndrome and how it can be damaging to your career

Suicides account for approximately 47,000 deaths in the United States each year. Of those, some 300 to 400 are physician suicides . Many doctors are no longer experiencing the joy of medicine. They have lost their tribe. Burnout, stress and anxiety is rampant. They are lonely.

While I appreciate the need to reduce student debt and rethink medical education, I question the mental and behavior health costs. In studying the life of Ignatius of Loyola and working for two decades to help executives think through personal and professional changes, this author has discovered that those who managed to pivot toward richer, more meaningful lives did so by paying attention to and aligning six critical areas, or six Cs:?capability (the talents you bring to the table), connectivity (the relationships you have), credibility (your reputation), contemplation (an ability to step back and look at the bigger picture), compassion (for yourself and others), and companions (people who make you happier and stronger.)

So much about changing habits for the New Year is based on the conventional wisdom that you need to do more to be better. And yes, growth is desirable. But often we say we’re after growth when the truth is we’re running from fear.

The consequences of skipping a year or two or even three can take a lifetime to correct. Getting to the wrong place faster is not a winning formula.

Yours respectfully,

Doogie Howser. MD

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs on Substack and Editor of Digital Health Entrepreneurship