The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-04
MEDICS MEET
and TALK SHOP
Association of American Medical
= Colleges Holds It's Convention
at New Orleans.
Committee Recommends the Raising
of Entrance Requirements Among
Medical institutions.

New Orleans. May 4.--The Association
of American Medical Colleges opened It's
one day convention here this afternoon
The attendance was large, many of the
medical men being also delegates to the
annual gathering of the American Medlcal
association which begins tomorrow.
To-day's meeting was called to order
by Secretary Winfield s. Hall of Chicago,
and after the annual address Of President
Rodman of Philadelphia the report OF the
special committee appointed at last year S
convention in Saratoga to report upon re-
quirements for admission to the freshman
year Of medical colleges was submitted.
Minnesota Represented.
This committee consists Of DR.. Parks
fRitchie, dean of the medical department
of the University of Minnesota; DIR. John
I'M. Dodson. dean of Rush Medical college,
Chicago, and DR.. William II. Wathen,
dean Of the Kentucky school of medicine.
Dr. Wathen does not concur in the report
of Drs. Ritchie and Dodson and made
q minority report. The majority report
made the following resolutions:
Every college holding a membership in
this association shall demand Of each stu
dent. as a minimum requirement for adj
mission to the medical course, either GAY
q diploma from four years high school
or academy whose credits are accepted
by state university, or CD the diploma
Iof a state normal school having a course
of instruction equivalent to a four years
thigh school whose credits are accepted
lby state university; or. (c) q certificate
iof admission to the freshman class of a
state university Cor of a college whose
icredits ara fully recognized by a state
university; or (d) an examination in the
following branches:
{a)-English grammar, rhetoric and
composition the equivalent Of the two
80 III tI13r ,NI,
Z (b)-Algebra to quadratics.
(c)-Latin. one year high school work
including grammar and four books OF
Caesar. or a full equivalent therefor
/ NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. year Of high school
work. including some laboratory work.
(e)-United States history-one year OF
high school work and seven additional
branches of the student choice selected
from the following:
Latin-One year; Caesar, Cicero or Vir-
gil. ~. -.
French, German, chemistry, botany
zoology ono year; geometry, one year
plane geometry, one year solid; trigo-
nometry. astronomy. physiology, physica
geography, English literature, advanced
algebra and civics one year. Candidates
(for the degree of doctor of medicine shall
'have attended four years courses of study
each and at least twelve months shall in
terVene between the beginning of any
course and the beginning of the preceding
course. Credit for one year of time may
be given students holding the degree of A
B.. or other equivalent degree from
reputable university or literary college.
A college which gives less than a four
years course Of medical study but doe
+ not graduate students, and is possessed
iof other qualifications, may be admitte.
to membership @ 49,.
% In the course of his address the hpresi
dent said
s. Or. Rodman Speaks Plainly.
Membership in this association ha
been entirely too free in the past. Wha
we need is not more members but bette
ones. The transferring Of students i
the midst of the term is q practice to b
discouraged in the main, for nearly al
ways the student wishes to change school
!durlng term for reasons altogether sci
flsh and discreditable to himself. ..
The entrance requirements must b
raised: no advance standing should b
iglVen to any one with a degree unless
us demonstratably equivalent to the fresh
men year in medicine; the session shout
be heightened and mid year examination
should be encouraged.
Inc association cannot maintain tn
i respect OF the profession and the sever;
state boards of examiners unless it re
/ CURES high school diploma or it's eoui,
alent of those wishing naturalization in
medical college. I should prefer to graz
advanced standing only to those WI
nave specially fitted themselves for II
study of incidence
Dr. Rodman favored seven month
term and emphasized the advantage
mld-year examinations in writing. TT
most pressing and needful reforms
present. he said. are an increase in II
preliminary requirements before matric,
lation, with better teaching and mo,
rigid examination Of under class men.