Old problems and new challenges in medical education.

Abstract

† There is need for continuous revision of curriculum, techniques, and methodology in medical education. Examples of current problems are the increasing amount of specialization, the decreasing number of patients who are wards of the public, and the chaotic state of postgraduate education. Programs instituted in the name of correlation and integration must be reexamined often to make sure that the intended results are achieved. Teaching and research are copartners when they are well balanced, but teaching must not be allowed to become an incidental matter, for research in itself cannot supplant the need for continuous study and preparation for teaching. The recruitment of basic scientists has become an important administrative problem. No single formula will solve all these problems, but it is important to remember that medical education involves the teaching of individuals who are destined to care for other individuals, and that its prior task is to inspire.