[Seminar about medical training in Chile in the current time]

The Chilean Academy of Medicine is concerned about the significant increment in the number of Medical Schools in Chile, from six in 1981 to 16 in 2002. All these Schools were invited to participate in a seminar about medical training. Eleven Schools are private and 5 are public (3 private Schools are subsidized by the state). There are nine Medical Schools in Santiago and 7 in other regions. The students admission criteria varies from one School to another. One thousand one hundred twenty two students are admitted to these Schools each year. Clinical hospitals, urban and rural outpatient clinics are used as training fields. These pertain to the Ministry of Health, Universities, Armed Forces, Private Clinics and City Halls. The main recommendations of the seminar were: to promote an early contact of students with clinical problems and to analyze these problems from the perspective of basic sciences; to enhance semiological, clinical and physiopathological training; to increase the contact with outpatients; to favor health promotion and preventive activities; to educate professors in ethical and humanistic issues; to regulate the use of clinical campus and reinforce the formation of specialists in family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. The accreditation of Medical Schools and clinical training centers was recommended. The establishment of a national medical examination for Chilean and foreign graduates, was proposed. The Academy of Medicine is interested in assuring a good quality medical training and to avoid teaching activities in unqualified schools and hospitals.