Centennial transformation in American medical education: two Flexner reports

Abstract

Medical Education in the United States and Canada released by the Carnegie Foundation in 1910, know n as The Flexner Report, laid scientific foundations and set excellent standards for American medical education. However, the 20th century reality fell behind the professional ideals advanced in the report. In 2010, the Carnegie Foundation released Educating Physician: A Call for Reform of Medical School and Residency, called The Flexner Report 2, which recommends four goals for medical education in the 21st century: standardization of learning outcomes and individualization of the learning process; integration of formal knowledge and clinical experience; developm ent of habits of inquiry and innovation; and focus on professional identity formation. Key words: Flexner; Medical education; Residency