Evening star., 1951-02-18
ANA Leader Denies
Attempts 10 Restrict
Medical Education

Critics of the American Medical
Association "who claim the medi-
cal schools and universities are
under the dictatorship" of the or
ganized medical profession were
challenged to come forward with
proof last night by DR.. Elmer L.
Henderson, ANA president.
DR.. Henderson spoke at the 5th
annual dinner and alumni reunion
of the George Washington Uni
versity Medical Society at the
Mayf1ower Hotel, where DR.
Charles Stanley White, head of
the surgical staff of Doctors Hos
pital, was presented with the So
ciety's annual award for out
standing community achieve
ment.
Complaints Listed.
DR.. Henderson noted that critics
of modern medical education have
four principal complaints. They
charge that the medical profess
sion:
i. Is trying to reduce competi-
ton and insure the financial we'll
being of its members by limiting
the number of medical schools and
students.
2. Has taken over control of
medical education to such an ex-
tent that the public and the uni
versities have no voice in the
matter.
g.. Is opposed to change and
STILES progress by imposing rigid
requirements for approved medical
schools.
a. Has increased the cost of
medical education by raising
standards so that the average uni
versity can't afford to start or
maintain a medical school.
The speaker said a comparison
OF teaching methods in medical
schools today with those of so
years ago demonstrates that the
advancement in medical educa-
ton in that interval has been one
of the great cultural and scienti-
fic achievements in the United
States in the goth century," This
advance, he said, has been led
and maintained by the medical
profession.
Furthermore, DR.. Henderson
added. the ANA. has set no
quotas as to the number of medi-
cal schools it will approve or as
to the size of the national student
body in medicine"
The speaker declared that "In
any number Of States the medical
profession has taken the leader
ship: and often in the face of
initial apathy or opposition on
the part of the rest of the State
has brought about the creation or
expansion of many medical
schools. Even now. new medical
schools are in prospect in New
Jersey and Florida, thanks to the
driving force of the medical pro-
fession."
Control by the ANA over medi-
cal schools by the imposition of
rigid standards is also not true,
DR.. Henderson said. "It will be
seen any one who reads these
standards that they are limited
to basic principals" so broad that
freedom and diversified policies
and programs may be said to be
limitless," he declared.
AS for the cost of modern medi-
cal schools, the speaker observed
that good medical education, like
good education in any field. is not
cheap" He added. however, that
"the average cost of providing un-
dergraduate medical education Of
satisfactory caliber is not ex-
cessive."
DIR. White Honored.
DR.. White received the annual
service award from DR.. Russell
McNitt, president of the GWU
Medical Society. DR.. White is
among the outstanding surgeons
In the Washington community. A
native Of the city, he received his
medical degree from George
Washington University in 1898.
The 74-year-old surgeon served
for many years on the faculty al
George Washington. At variou.
times he served as head of the
department of surgery of Calm.
ger Hospital; as consulting sur.
geon at the Bethesda Naval Hos.
pital and st. Elizabeths, and or
the staffs of the Emergency Gar.
field and Columbia Hospitals.
During World War I, he or.
ganiZed a Naval medical unit
serving in the Naval Reserve as q
lieutenant commander. During
World War II he served as chair
man of the Medical Advisory
Board for Selective Service in the
District.
The society award is giver
yearly to CIV alumnus for dis
tinctive service to the university