The New York herald., 1874-11-30
Cisa1antic Students In the Medical
Schools Of Paris.
Expenses Of Undergraduates, Class
Fees. and the Examine
tiOn for a Degree.
The Embryo American Physician During His
Everyday Life in the French Capital


diploma was not considered equal in re.
spects 70 French diploma aud this fact alone was
sufficient reason TO induce the higher class or
American medical students TO come 10 Paris for
instruction. When they got here they found
that they had a long and costly task before tnem
and that the period or probation which they were
bound to pass was very fuIl OF temptations ana
difficulties. To graduate at the Medical School IN
PARIS takes average period OF seven years
Moreover, 1t is necessary that the student snoulo
sake his degree as Bachelor OF Arts and Bachelor
or Letters, titles which are TO be OBJ
sained by duigeat attendance at grinding schools
ana there only. An important provlso in the regu-
latlou OF the French SCHOOLS Is that If an Ameri.
can medical student has diploma from good
school in the United states the Faculty OF Medi-
cine o: Paris will jump him over his oachelorate
In arts and letters, and VIII also absolve him rom
sixteen inscriptions, bringing him thus right up 10
the examination necessary lor the degree OF doc
tor. Medical students in France VINO go through
the regular course have 10 submit to all the pre-
scribed routine. Alter presenting their diplomas
as Bachelors OF Letters and Bachelors OF Arts they
are required 10 pass three EXAMINATIONS, or one
examination each year for three years. They
must also produce certificates tesnlying that they
have walked the hospitals for three years, and
they have TO pay sixteen inscriptions, the sum
total OF which expense is not much. To take An
Inscription a medical student has simply to enter
MS name at the Secretary's office III the school OF
Medicine and to pay small fee as voucher for
his personal attendance.
THE EXAMINATIONS FOR THE DEGREE
OF Doctor OF Medicine al the Faculty Of Paris are
SIX 10 number, and the order OF examination is as
fonows:-
/. Anatomy.
4 Physiology, chemistry, botany and the collat-
erAl sciences
g. Practice OF medicine.
s. Obsfetrica
Q. Thesis.
These examinations are 80 severe that the
student is obliged to give several months to eacn
OF the divisions for the doctorate. The most dni-
gent students rarely get through In less than a
year and q hall. The Faculty have made 1t posi-
bic for student TO obtain his degree in four years
and q hali but not one IN twenty finds that the
thing is 10 De done under seven years. There Is
no period fixed for studen, to offer himself for
examination in the schools Of Paris, as there is In
other medical colleges. Whenever q student
thinks himself ready TO take his degree he goes to
the Secretary and puts his name down ior exam-
nation. The Faculty sits all the year round, and
students can be examined whenever they please
by giving q ew days notice
FEES PAID BY MEDICAL STUDENTS.
The total sum required Tor going through the
medical schools OF Paris amounts to l,24o francs,
OF s24s, pcluling thesis. The examinations are
very iar. There is no favortism, Tor the student
isgeneraiy entirely unknown 10 the Professor.
and is usually examined by perfect stranger,
who can have no personal ieeng in the matter.
The mode OF examination may be thus described -
Three examiners and three students meet TO-
gether at a long table. The examiners are
dressed in their DOCTORS robes, and one OF them
sits directly opposite eacn student. Before each
examiner IS an hour glass containing sand enough
TO run lor aiteen minutes, which Is the tine
given TO questions and answers. The examiners
never put catch questions, but they give out very
dlncuJt problems 10 solve. When the quarter OF
an hour has expired The examiners retire silently
to q consulting room, and there vote the election
or rejection OF the candidates VINO have presented
themselves ior examination II two out OF the
three examiners cecl4re they are satisfied the
student takes his degree and receives his ci-
ploma; but there are seven degrees OF excellence,
and the highest honors Of the schools are not
often obtained.
SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR AMERICANS.
In order 10 make this letter Of special value to
American medical students who purpose to Rradu
ate III Paris, addressed a letter to DR.. Johnston
one OF the most eminent physicians now in prac
tlce here, anu submitted the following questions
70 him .
/. Is 1t advisable for young American to study
medicine Ia Paris, aud II SO, Tor what reasonsf
2. Wnat ADVICE should be given him II he goes q
Parist
g. WHAT'S the cost OF his oegree as Doctor @
Medicine OF the Faculty or farlsr
l. what is tne value OF French degree whei
s. what is the peculiar excellence of the Frenc
School o! Medicine and lis advantages over otne
schools
9. WHAT ts the allowance necessary for tn
creditaole maintenance Of an QnQergraduate wails
studying medicine In Paris2
Dr. Johnston, 10 whose invariabe courtesy, ripe
experience and great learning am under man,
Obligations kindly addressed to me the following
reply
The questions you have done me the honor &C
ask me IN regard 10 medical educauon and medi
cal advantages al PARIS are certainly Interesting
ones TO the American medical student, and VII
Try 70 answer them as clearly ana oreny as posi-
bic. The meocai schools IN the United states nave
improved so much In late years, especially IN tht
adunction OF clinical advantages, that the neces
slty OF coming abroad Is not 50 mucn felt; and II
fact, the number OF American medical st1denu
has some ewhat diminished rather taan increased IL
the last 6iteen years.
Nevertheless, Paris still maintains its superiority
as the seat OF medical education, because 1t ha,
arpe the number Of hospital beds OF any otnei
city In the world, because It's museums are more
extended, its collections larger, and everything
pertaining 10 the healing art more compete, and
TO SEE IS THB GREAT DEsrDRRATuM.
Medical knowledge Is now so equally ana 80
rapidly distributed over the word through the
medium OF books and journals that man need
only 81 himself down In one place, suere conec:
b. reading a.. the new IDEAS which are emitteo
and tLen 90 TO the hospitals and museums 70
Apply them and 10 DO TINS he wants the larges
number oil hospitals and museums. Certainly the
war and the disappearance by death or od
age OF the greatest number oil the Drii
hant men wao gave so much lustre 10 tue rrehcl
school curing tue drst halt OF the century have
thrown a temporary shade over the school and
given its riyais sort u excuse Tor proclalmlna
that II has lalen bonlnd tue schools OF Germany
and England and is no longer what IL once was.
But there are slll several men In the school wnos'
n ltn nTn "a
group OF young and zealous and intelligent
workers who are Destined TO be nearc
from at no distant day. so that
the French school were no more taal
the equal oi others IN the talent OF the men wht
direct 1t II Is stiil superior on account oil wha
can be seen with The eyes, Moreover, the Sch0o
OF Paris is school OF pure science In the larges
acceptaton Oi the word. IL covers the whole nelt
bf science, and Is free from coteries and hostili
lties aud illlDeralisms OF all kinds, and has M
opinions outside the healing art. So too, there
Is no favoritlsm, the professor does not know th'
sf,.d he ia exanlQad often q q