An emerging renaissance in medical education.

Abstract

Is a renaissance emerging in medical education? One hundred forty-five submissions to the Journal of General Internal Medicine's Education Issue suggests pent-up demand for publication by medical educators. The innovative nature of many submissions suggests that faculty members across the United States and the world are responding creatively to current educational needs. Curricular innovation has in part been spurred by demands of professional organizations, which in turn are responding to societal needs. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project, which has identified six core competencies, has created the need for increased accountability for documenting proficiency in each of the six competencies (patient care, medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice).1 This will require increased attention to the evaluation of house staff in general, increased emphasis on the competencies of interpersonal and communication skills and professionalism, and the development of educational approaches to teach and evaluate the new competencies of practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based practice. The Association of American Medical Colleges's (AAMC) core curriculum reflects these priorities.2 The American College of Physicians (ACP),3 the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM),4 and others5 have shown renewed interest in teaching professionalism. The recent report of the Society of General Internal Medicine's Domain Task Force calls for similar reforms in medical education.6 Finally, the ACGME, out of concern for patient care and house staff learning environment, have issued regulations regarding resident work hours,7 which in turn have required structural changes in residency training programs. We may need to wait to see the full flowering of a renaissance, but we believe that JGIM's Education Issue provides a broad sampling of work reflecting emerging trends in medical education.