Dumbing Down

On one hand, I really don't mind that exams are easier now than they've previously been. It's hardly selfish to appreciate the fact that getting through University doesn't require as much work today than it might have done in the 80's, or before. But it doesn't half make me feel inferior. Granted, I may look rather stupid if I do still manage to fail my exams, which is not an entirely obscene proposal, but in the likely case of my actual passing them, I'll still be regarding myself as at least slightly second-rate in comparison to foreign and previous doctors.
My suspicions were confirmed today when me and a friend rummaged through the past exam papers in the hospital library and almost had simultaneous heart attacks when we saw what kind of questions medical students in our position had to answer 30 years ago. The papers were multiple choice, and they had to choose between an endless list of almost identical answers, referring to chemicals, anatomy and pharmacology with which I am wholly unfamiliar. And it was negatively marked, which meant that not only could they not guess, but any carelessness or imprecision and a perfectly well earned point would get struck off.
In the most recent past papers, we get asked to name 5 factors that might contribute to heart disease. Let's ask any bright 8 year old- smoking, drinking, being fat...and you have more than 50% already, which is enough to pass.
Bloody hell, I hope I haven't jinxed this.