To the naked eye, French silver plate often looks identical to French solid silver. It take close inspection and knowledge of a few key features to reliably tell the difference. Silver plating is the process of applying a thin layer of silver to another, inexpensive, metal, such as nickel or copper.
Courses generally last five or six years: two years of pre-clinical training in an academic environment and three years clinical training at a teaching hospital and in community settings. Medical schools and teaching hospitals are closely integrated.
Medical school is typically a four year program, although there are some schools that offer a combined BS/MD or BS/DO degree in six years. That is, a sort of combined college/medical school curriculum that takes six years vs. the traditional eight years (four years of college plus four years of medical school).