Toronto Dental Surgeon Warns of “Silent Crisis” in Medical Education
A new commentary by Toronto-based dental surgeon and educator Dr. Jennifer Hibberd is raising serious concerns about the eroding of healthcare education.
Hibberd is warning that hands-on mentorship, rigorous standards and real-world clinical training are rapidly being replaced by screen-based learning, simulations, and what she describes as declining accountability in professional training programs.
Published in the Journal of Independent Medicine, Hibberd’s paper, “Healthcare: A Wake-Up Call to Reclaim Excellence – Empowering the Next Generation of Physicians, Dentists and Allied Healthcare Professionals,” argues that North American healthcare education is drifting away from the mentor-driven model that once formed the backbone of medical excellence.
An IMA Senior Fellow, practicing pediatric dental surgeon, and clinical instructor at the University of Toronto, Hibberd warns that growing dependence on digital learning platforms, AI-assisted tools, automated modules and simulation-heavy training risks producing healthcare professionals who may be less prepared for the realities of patient care.
From Bedside Training to Screen-Based Learning
According to the paper, modern healthcare education is increasingly encouraging passive learning while reducing critical thinking, curiosity and clinical confidence. Hibberd also raises concerns about declining remediation standards and what she describes as “near-universal passing” in some healthcare training environments.
The commentary argues that excessive reliance on simulations and virtual learning may limit students’ exposure to real patients during critical stages of training — potentially leaving graduates underprepared for the human realities of medicine, surgery, and emergency care.
Hibberd warns that healthcare professionals are increasingly being trained in controlled digital environments rather than through direct mentorship and bedside experience, which historically allowed students to develop judgment, resilience and practical competence under experienced supervision.
Questions Raised About Standards and Admissions
One of the paper’s most controversial sections examines admissions changes linked to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives. Hibberd specifically references models introduced at Toronto Metropolitan University, questioning whether current approaches are maintaining the balance between inclusivity and rigorous preparation for high-stakes healthcare professions.
The paper also raises broader concerns about institutional pressures within healthcare education systems, including reduced tolerance for failure, reluctance to challenge struggling students, and growing dependence on technology-driven instruction.
A Call to Reclaim Excellence
In a recently released video interview shared by the Independent Medical Alliance, Hibberd described the issue as a “silent crisis” unfolding inside medical education systems across North America.
She called on experienced physicians, dentists, nurses and allied healthcare professionals to step back into mentorship roles before patient care suffers long-term consequences.
Hibberd’s commentary ultimately calls for a return to rigorous mentorship, authentic clinical experience, critical inquiry and accountability — arguing that restoring competence, compassion and public trust in healthcare will require experienced professionals to actively train and challenge the next generation rather than leaving education increasingly dependent on screens, algorithms and institutional bureaucracy.
Sources:
Journal of Independent Medicine — Full PDF “Healthcare: A Wake-Up Call to Reclaim Excellence – Empowering the Next Generation of Physicians, Dentists, and Allied Healthcare Professionals”
Find the Independent Medical Alliance (formerly the FLCCC Alliance) on Substack HERE.
Dr. Jennifer Hibberd Discusses the Silent Crisis in Medical Education
IMA Senior Fellow Dr. Jennifer Hibberd (@HealthHibberd) warns that hands-on mentorship in healthcare education is being replaced by screens, AI, simulation-heavy training, and softened standards. Her new… pic.twitter.com/lu8gBOR46B— Independent Medical Alliance (@Honest_Medicine) May 21, 2026
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