AN AMERICANS VIEW OF CANADIAN MEDICAL-EDUCATION

Undergraduate medical education in Canada and the United States is rem arkably similar, except for the fact that Canadian medical schools are supported by their provincial governments. However, the systems diver ge sharply at the postgraduate level. In Canada, the number and specia lty mix of residents are negotiated by medical schools in response to educational and social needs; in the United States, these factors are largely determined by hospital service needs. The Canadian systems of accreditation, certification and payment for medical education after g raduation are much simpler than those of the United States, and the ac creditation and certification systems are more objective. In addition, the US system promotes subspecialization and a costly specialty imbal ance, whereas Canada's system has achieved an appropriate balance of s pecialists and generalists. In general, Canadian medical education app ears to be simpler, more accountable and more socially responsive.