To try to disentangle the implementation of the reform of health studies, it is better to arm yourself with a good dose of patience and concentration. “I’m going to send you a slide, but you risk falling back a meter! », warns Cyrille Blondet, university lecturer and hospital practitioner at the Faculty of Medicine of Strasbourg. “That’s it, have I lost you? », worries Nicolas Lerolle, dean of the faculty of medicine of Angers and member of the steering committee of this so-called “undergraduate” reform, which began at the start of the 2020 school year.
On paper, the objectives were clear: to end the first year common to health studies (Paces), ultra-selective competition allowing to continue in medicine, maieutics, odontology, pharmacy (MMOP) and, sometimes, physiotherapy, conditioned by a numerus clausus which left aside a number of disappointed students. With two new access routes, the PASS – for “specific health access path” – and the L.AS, for “license with health access option”, in order to vary the selection methods, diversify the profile of candidates and get out of the logic of failure by always having a plan B.
“It was a real heartbreak to see young people who, after two years of Paces, found themselves with nothing. There, they can validate their license years and move forward, ” argues Vincent Deramecourt, neurologist and assessor of PASS and L.AS at the Faculty of Medicine of Lille.
Various possibilities
In PASS, the student follows courses in health (his “major”), with, in addition, a minor of his choice (law, psychology, languages, biology, history…), according to what is offered in his university. If, at the end of the year, he is not accepted in one of the five medical courses but he has the 60 credits which validate his year, he continues in the second year of his minor’s license, the repeating is no longer possible. He will then be in L.AS 2: law, psychology or languages will take precedence over his health teachings.
In L.AS, it’s the opposite. The student opts for a license in biology, Staps or even philosophy, which is backed by a minor in health. If he fails in the classification of health studies but validates his year, he will pass in the L.AS 2 of his discipline. In total, more than 500 L.AS were offered this year on Parcoursup: the possibilities are varied.
Although still selective, the now “numerus apertus”, fixing the quota of places in the second year, is accompanied by an increase in the number of admissions. In 2020-2021, more than 17,000 students were admitted to MMOP, including more than 11,000 in medicine – a total increase of 13%, and 19.5% for the medicine sector. “Admission is managed by each university according to the health needs of the territory, says the Ministry of Higher Education. The number of registrants and territorial care needs can create some disparities. »
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