What about the future generations of doctors who had poor teachers and won't make good doctors?
I don't think it's a zero sum game - the world changes and different skills are required at different points. New industries are constantly born that require a whole new set of people. The population of the world is always in flux as well - does that mean every additional person has to split the limited resources?
I think a great teacher is a very leveraged way of taking students and giving them passions, goals, and skills. Students who've been lucky to have had these great teachers are the ones who will be passionate and become great in their chosen fields.
What about the future generations of doctors who had poor teachers and won't make good doctors?
Teachers are not the only source of drive or inspiration to learn. Michael Faraday had almost no formal education (and he came from a poor family), yet he rose to become one of the most influential scientists in history.
Of course not but I think Faraday was an exception and it would be rare for someone in this day and age to be an innovative scientist without having a strong academic background. It's hard to break into academia without going to college and it's hard to go to college without going to school. Of course it's possible but it's just not easy and without the proper motivation many people would give up.
Even before Faraday there were tons of self schooled mathematicians who would just write letters to each other with their problems and solutions but I just don't know how common that would be these days.
it's hard to go to college without going to school
I basically went to college without going to school first. I had a D average in high school, and something similar in grade school (I was far more interested in making trouble than anything else!)
I didn't need preparation to go to college (and I went to a midwest public ivy); all I really needed was a clear idea of why I should do so. That I got from reading Issac Asimov and Ayn Rand, not from any teacher forcing me to sit still in their classroom.
I don't think it's a zero sum game - the world changes and different skills are required at different points. New industries are constantly born that require a whole new set of people. The population of the world is always in flux as well - does that mean every additional person has to split the limited resources?
I think a great teacher is a very leveraged way of taking students and giving them passions, goals, and skills. Students who've been lucky to have had these great teachers are the ones who will be passionate and become great in their chosen fields.