I've heard a number of people tell me that third year is a pretty useless year of school. I'm not sure I understand that yet - I still feel like I have a lot to pack in. But apparently there is some discussion in the U.S. about abolishing third year. It's probably pretty unlikely, since as the article points out - third year is a cash cow. (Did I just say "cash cow?" Yes I did. Wow - this must be my thirties sneaking up on me.)

I think the only way this would work would be to get rid of some of the many requirements of first year. Do we really need six full year mandatory courses, or could we get away with a little less of a "grounding" in some of these subjects? Particularly since few students will practice in more than one of these areas, and as the article points out, much is learned on the job.