Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX USA) Practice

What major medical education reform was initiated by the Flexner Report?

1. Acceptance of COMLEX

2. State licensing for D.O.'s

3. Improvements in medical school standards

4. Founding of the American School of Osteopathy

The correct answer is: Improvements in medical school standards

The Flexner Report, published in 1910 by Abraham Flexner, played a pivotal role in transforming medical education in the United States and Canada. The report critically evaluated the standards of medical schools and highlighted the need for rigorous training and a strong grounding in the scientific principles of medicine. One of the key recommendations from the Flexner Report was the need to improve the educational standards of medical schools, which led to the closure of many substandard institutions and prompted reform in curriculum, faculty qualifications, and the overall structure of medical training programs. This reform movement emphasized the necessity for medical education to be based on scientific inquiry and practical training, thereby enhancing the qualifications of future physicians and ensuring that they were better equipped to serve patients. The impact of the Flexner Report was profound, as it established benchmarks for medical education that are still influential today, leading to a more uniform and elevated standard of medical training across institutions. The other provided choices—such as the acceptance of COMLEX, state licensing for D.O.'s, and the founding of the American School of Osteopathy—do not directly align with the primary focus and implications of the Flexner Report. While such measures may reflect subsequent developments in medical education, they were not directly initiated by the reforms called for