If people can create an accelerated medical program that can be completed in just three years, what textbooks should they select in the curriculum?

Question

Imagine a third-world country with a lack of doctors. They should start to treat patients as soon as possible even if they did not take full courses in biochemistry, histology, anatomy, biostatistics, etc.

So what would you give them to study in pediatrics, internal medicine, gastroenterology, emergence medicine, endocrine, etc.

In Canada, physician assistants are academically prepared as medical generalists. They are accelerated medically educated clinicians. Their practice of medicine includes diagnoses, performing physical exams, prescribing medications, and educating and counselling patients.

PAs become generalist medical practitioners in 25 months only (i.e. two years).

So what would you recommend for a similar program in a third world country with a lack of of medical practitioners? What are some of good textbooks that cover 70% or 80% of the essential medical knowledge?

Answer 1

an MD is an MD. If you want an intensive course for a health professional, give it another name: "medical assistant", "health technician", etc. These professionals wouldn't obviously perform surgery. Instead, their training should be focused on the top 90% diseases they are more likely to see in their everyday practice. Find what diseases and disorders are more prevalent in your area: yellow fever? rheumatic heart disease? HIV infection? Dengue or Zica fever? Diseases caused by Helmints and Protozooa? TB? And then train your technicians on the diagnosis and treatment of those disorders. That's the logical thing to do if a country is very poor and can't afford to have decent medical schools.