Why do some medical schools limit the number of students they admit?

In the context of medical education, some institutions—particularly in the United States, Britain, and Commonwealth countries—limit the number of students admitted primarily to increase the educational opportunities available to each individual.1

By restricting enrollment, these schools are able to maintain more favorable student-to-teacher ratios. In some North American programs, this approach has resulted in ratios as high as 1 to 1 or 1 to 2, which allows for more intensive instruction and specialized training compared to the larger class sizes found in many other countries.1