Why did the Flexner report emphasize laboratories, libraries, and teaching hospitals?

The Flexner Report, published in 1910, fundamentally shifted medical education away from a model of professional apprenticeship toward a rigorous, science-based academic discipline.1

Abraham Flexner emphasized the necessity of laboratories, libraries, and teaching hospitals because he viewed medical training as a formal educational process that required a full-time academic staff dedicated to research and instruction. His recommendations were designed to ensure that:1

• Laboratories and Libraries: These facilities were essential to support a curriculum grounded in the natural sciences, moving students beyond mere theory and toward investigative, evidence-based learning.1
• Teaching Hospitals: Flexner argued that medical schools required ready access to a hospital where the administration and clinical environment were directly influenced by the academic faculty. This integration allowed for the systematic study of disease and ensured that clinical work was conducted with the same scientific rigor as laboratory research.1

By advocating for these resources, the report aimed to standardize medical training and improve the quality of practitioners by ensuring they were educated in environments that prioritized both scientific inquiry and direct patient care.21