Vinay Prasad: Billion dollars to Hopkins -what does free medical school do?

Vinay Prasad, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Michael Bloomberg gave a billion dollars to Hopkins, and they have announced that medical school will now be free for nearly all students. Here are 3 things that won’t do, and the real benefit of free medical school.

1. Free medical school doesn’t make primary care doctors or pediatricians. If you make medical school free, if and only if, you go into primary care, that might incentivize people to do it. But, the current program, like NYUs, makes it free to all.

This doesn’t change any future incentive. Ortho still makes millions more than pediatrics in lifetime earnings. NYU’s match list shows no increase in primary care. If anything, because free medical school draws in more talent, it may increase the rate with which students pursue competitive specialities.

2. Free med school does not make more doctors. The number of doctors per annum is restricted by the number of residency slots not medical school slots. Already the US does not have enough medical schools and needs to import foreign medical doctors. Free med school does not make more residency spots.

3. Free med school does not give money to the less fortunate. Even the poorest student matriculating in medical school is assured millions in lifetime earnings. They will be much richer than their (non medicine) classmates.

The average pediatricians net worth is many times that of the average kindergarten teacher. Free med school redistributes wealth from billionaires to millionaires.

What does free medical school do? … learn more here”

Source: Vinay Prasad/LinkedIn