I believe John Treacy's account of public education
in Ohio is quite relevant to the future of medical
practice.

The institutionalization and concomitant bureaucratization
of primary and secondary education preceded the same 
evolutionary stage in medicine by many decades, giving us,
as it were a look into the medical future.

Some public schools are indeed very good, and some leave much
to be desired. Bright students are probably better off without
formal education, but if they are bright enough will overcome
the handicaps it inflicts on them. At the other extreme,
some students are everywhere beyond help.