Medical School Curriculum Research Articles

Collaborative Assessment in the Gross Anatomy Lab.

In 2018, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine incorporated two-stage examinations into the gross anatomy curriculum. Multiple studies have investigated two-stage examinations and have largely reported positive findings. Here, we used a mixed-methods approach to further investigate the feasibility and student perceptions of the two-stage examination in the context of a medical school curriculum that emphasizes longitudinal group-based learning and formative assessments. Three student cohorts were assessed with a formative two-stage examination at the end of their first-year anatomy experience. Data for the quantitative analysis included examination scores from the individual and group portions of the two-stage examination. For the qualitative stage of this project, we utilized a constructivist grounded theory methodology in which data, including both post-examination survey results and one-on-one semi-structured student interviews, were transcribed (interviews), coded, inductively and iteratively reviewed, and thematically interpreted. Survey and interview results revealed an overwhelmingly positive perception of the collaborative assessment experience. Student comments demonstrated educational value in the immediate feedback provided by this examination format and suggested that collaboration during the examination transformed the assessment into a learning experience. While two-stage examinations have the potential to positively transform an assessment into a learning experience, we also identified complex relationships between content knowledge and anxiety that may affect student perceptions. In addition, examination logistics (e.g., curricular timing) have the potential to negatively affect student perceptions, indicating that faculty should consider these factors when implementing collaborative assessments into their curriculum.

Climate change as a threat multiplier to environmental reproductive justice

Legacies of racial capitalism and colonialism drive present day racial disparities in perinatal health outcomes. Climate change amplifies existing social inequalities associated with environmental exposures and reproductive health, of which BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities bear a disproportionate burden. Through case studies, this article summarizes three examples of climate justice issues with reproductive healthcare outcomes: traffic related air pollution exposure, chemical exposures in personal care products and plastics, and natural disaster frequency. We advocate for incorporation of climate justice and environmental health impact into medical school curriculum, increased prenatal screening for environmental toxins, and physician engagement with local environmental issues.

Neurosurgical Education Using Cadaver-Free Brain Models and Augmented Reality: First Experiences from a Hands-On Simulation Course for Medical Students.

Background and Objectives: Neurosurgery has been underrepresented in the medical school curriculum. Advances in augmented reality and 3D printing have opened the way for early practical training through simulations. We assessed the usability of the UpSurgeOn simulation-based training model and report first experiences from a hands-on neurosurgery course for medical students. Materials and Methods: We organized a two-day microneurosurgery simulation course tailored to medical students. On day one, three neurosurgeons demonstrated anatomical explorations with the help of life-like physical simulators (BrainBox, UpSurgeOn). The surgical field was projected onto large high-definition screens by a robotic-assisted exoscope (RoboticScope, BHS Technologies). On day two, the students were equipped with microsurgical instruments to explore the surgical anatomy of the pterional, temporal and endoscopic retrosigmoid approaches. With the help of the RoboticScope, they simulated five clipping procedures using the Aneurysm BrainBox. All medical students filled out a digital Likert-scale-based questionnaire to evaluate their experiences. Results: Sixteen medical students participated in the course. No medical students had previous experience with UpSurgeOn. All participants agreed that the app helped develop anatomical orientation. They unanimously agreed that this model should be part of residency training. Fourteen out of sixteen students felt that the course solidified their decision to pursue neurosurgery. The same fourteen students rated their learning experience as totally positive, and the remaining two rated it as rather positive. Conclusions: The UpSurgeOn educational app and cadaver-free models were perceived as usable and effective tools for the hands-on neuroanatomy and neurosurgery teaching of medical students. Comparative studies may help measure the long-term benefits of UpSurgeOn-assisted teaching over conventional resources.

Integration of Radiation Oncology Into the Preclinical Curriculum Through Problem-Based Learning

Early exposure to oncology care during the pre-clinical years of medical school may translate to increased student interest in oncology-related fields and improved understanding of oncologic treatment modalities, including radiation oncology. Many schools incorporate problem-based learning (PBL) into the medical school curriculum; this is an opportunity to immerse students in oncologic case management. We describe the effective incorporation of one course into the medical school curriculum that may be replicated at other institutions. A PBL case regarding pancreatic cancer was created by a radiation oncology resident and faculty member in collaboration with the gastrointestinal course director for first-year medical students at a single institution. Pancreatic cancer was chosen based on curricular needs. Learning objectives were discussed to guide the creation of the case. All 140 first-year medical students participated in the one-hour small group case focused on oncologic work up, multi-disciplinary care and radiotherapy concepts. Students were provided with a case prompt and resources to review prior to the PBL session. Volunteer radiation oncology facilitators attended a thirty-minute educational meeting and were provided a detailed case guide one week prior to the PBL session. During the PBL case, facilitators guided students to achieve desired learning objectives. Among the 76 (54%) medical students who completed an optional post-PBL survey, the majority reported that the case motivated them to learn more about oncology (89%) and radiation oncology (82%). There was an increase in the number of subscribers to the Oncology Interest Group (43% increase from previous year) and preclinical students shadowing in the radiation oncology department. The PBL case was continued in future years for all first-year students and extended to two hours to promote additional discussion in response to student and facilitator feedback. A cancer-specific PBL case facilitated by radiation oncology educators is an effective avenue to integrate radiation oncology into the pre-clinical curriculum and stimulate interest in oncology amongst first-year medical students.

The Role of Administrative Skills in a Career as an Academic Clinician Educator

Administrative skills are essential tools for clinician educators to maximize success, however they are not considered a core component of a medical school or residency curriculum. This perspective describes domains of administrative skills that can be used with practical tools provided to increase productivity in clinical, academic, and leadership activities.

Assessing Levels of Empathy among Undergraduate Medical Students: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in a Medical College in Sohar, Oman

OBJECTIVE: Empathy is an essential aspect of communication skills for physicians, especially primary care physicians. The study aims to explore the empathy scores among medical students at different stages of medical training and to analyze the effect of gender and career choice on the empathy scores of medical students. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2021 to January 2022 in a medical college in Sohar, Oman. All the students were eligible to participate in this study. Simple random sampling was employed, and participants were administered a 20-item Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student (JSE-S) Version. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Mean and standard deviation were reported for continuous variables. Subgroup comparisons were conducted using t-test and ANOVA. RESULTS: Out of 424 participants, the majority were female (n=390,92%), and over half of the students (56%) were less than 22 years of age. The mean empathy score of students on the JSE-S scale was 104.6 ± 17.43 (range: 37-140). Subgroup analysis revealed that males had a slightly high score on JSE-S (male: 105.7+14.56, female: 104.5+17.6, p-0.23). Empathy scores showed an increasing trend as the student progressed through medical school (6th year: 106.2+16.16). Empathy scores were almost similar for students who had preferred people or procedure-oriented fields as their career pathway (p-0.59). CONCLUSION: The study reflects the need to include empathy in teaching communication skills to medical students as an integral part of the medical school curriculum, which could assist them in becoming compassionate physicians and increasing patient satisfaction. KEYWORDS: Empathy, empathy scores, JSPE, Medical Students, Physicians, Undergraduate Medical Students.

Obesity preclinical elective: a qualitative thematic analysis of student feedback.

Education about the prevalent chronic disease of obesity is still minimal and variable in medical school curricula. In a student-led effort with faculty support, the authors designed and implemented an obesity medicine elective at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CWRU). The 10-week elective, taught by seven physicians and one dietitian, was offered in January 2023 to medical students and included: weekly lectures, an interactive session with a patient, shadowing in obesity medicine practices, attendance at a distance-learning intensive behavioral lifestyle program, student presentations, and a final written reflection. The purpose of this study was to analyze the elective reflections and identify themes about the elective's value and areas to improve. The authors analyzed reflections from the 20 medical students that completed the elective via qualitative thematic analysis. The analysis was performed using the Braun and Clarke six-phase framework: (1) become familiar with the data, (2) generate initial codes, (3) search for themes, (4) review themes, (5) define themes, and (6) write-up. The themes identified were improved: (1) understanding of obesity as a chronic disease, (2) knowledge about treatment options for obesity (3) confidence in compassionate obesity counseling skills, and (4) skills to confront weight bias. Theme (5) consisted of highlights (hearing from experts, practicing evidence-based medicine, and interacting with patients), and areas to improve (session length, presentation format, more peer-to-peer interaction, and more diverse patient interactions). Medical student assessments of a new obesity medicine elective described improved attitudes, knowledge, and skills to address obesity and obesity bias. Students were very satisfied and contributed ideas for improvements. This elective structure and evaluation method is a feasible model to provide medical students with meaningful experiences related to obesity.

Transgender Attitudes and Beliefs Scale-Greek (TABS-Gr) version: translation and initial evaluation of psychometric properties among medical students

BackgroundTransgender people face significantly greater discrimination and health disparities in health care settings than cisgender people. The role of education in eliminating this phenomenon has been increasingly recognized by many medical schools. However, transgender health content is sparse or lacking in the medical curricula of many countries.MethodThis study was designed to validate the Greek version of the Transgender Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (TABS-Gr). The study adopted a cross-sectional, comparative-descriptive research design. Participants (N = 203) were contacted through online recruitment and invited to complete an anonymous web-based survey. The data were collected between December 2022 and February 2023.ResultsThe overall reliability of the TABS-Gr questionnaire was high (Cronbach’s α = 0.961, p. from Hotelling’s T-squared test < 0.000). High Cronbach’s alpha values were estimated for the three subscales, with α = 0.958 for Interpersonal Comfort, α = 0.906 for Gender Beliefs, and α = 0.952 for Human Values. Hotelling’s T-squared test confirmed that all items on the scale had the same mean (p < 0.001 for all subgroups). Explanatory factor analysis (EFA) demonstrated adequate fit. Convergent and discriminant validity were validated based on the estimated correlations. The three-factor structure of the Greek TABS version was confirmed. The mean total score was 155.95 (SD = 30.63), indicating that medical students had a moderately positive attitude towards transgender people. Participants showed significantly less biased (more tolerant, positive) attitudes towards transgender people on the Interpersonal Comfort (IC) and Human Value (HV) subscales than on the Sex/Gender Beliefs (SGB) subscale. A demographic comparison was conducted and demonstrated a correlation between scores and sociodemographics, except for place of origin. A statistically significant increase in the total mean score was estimated for women compared to men.ConclusionThe overall psychometric findings provide some evidence to support the validity of the Greek version of the TABS. However, we call for further validation research in Greek medical schools. Since our claims for validity are based in part on an exploratory factor analysis, a future confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is part of our call for further validation research. While the results of this study are mostly in line with the results of previous research, some nuances were identified. These results may inform educators, medical school curricula and education policy-makers.

Mixed Reality as a Teaching Tool for Medical Students in Neurosurgery.

Background and Objectives: Simulation-based learning within neurosurgery provides valuable and realistic educational experiences in a safe environment, enhancing the current teaching model. Mixed reality (MR) simulation can deliver a highly immersive experience through head-mounted displays and has become one of the most promising teaching tools in medical education. We aimed to identify whether an MR neurosurgical simulation module within the setting of an undergraduate neurosurgical hands-on course could improve the satisfaction of medical students. Materials and Methods: The quasi-experimental study with 223 medical students [120 in the conventional group (CG) and 103 in the MR-group (MRG)] was conducted at the University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany. An MR simulation module was presented to the intervention group during an undergraduate neurosurgical hands-on course. Images of a skull fracture were reconstructed into 3D formats compatible with the MR-Viewer (Brainlab, Munich, Germany). Participants could interact virtually with the model and plan a surgical strategy using Magic Leap goggles. The experience was assessed by rating the course on a visual analog scale ranging from 1 (very poor) to 100 (very good) and an additional Likert-scale questionnaire. Results: The satisfaction score for CG and MRG were 89.3 ± 13.3 and 94.2 ± 7.5, respectively. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test showed that MR users (Mdn = 97.0, IQR = 4, n = 103) were significantly more satisfied than CG users (Mdn = 93.0, IQR = 10, n = 120; ln(W) = 8.99, p < 0.001) with moderate effect size (r^biserial = 0.30, CI95 [0.15, 0.43]), thus indicating that the utilization of MR-simulation is associated with greater satisfaction. Conclusions: This study reports a positive response from medical students towards MR as an educational tool. Feedback from the medical students encourages the adoption of disruptive technologies into medical school curricula.

Educating Family Physician Residents for Anesthetic Preoperative Evaluation and Assessment.

Encounters for preoperative assessments are common within primary care offices, so it is imperative that family medicine residents learn how to perform preoperative evaluations. We assessed family medicine residents' knowledge of preoperative evaluation in preparation for surgery by providing a pre- and post-test alongside a didactic seminar. A didactic seminar on preoperative evaluations was presented at a family medicine resident didactics session by two senior anesthesiology residents. A 16-question, multiple choice test was used as both a pre-test and post-test to assess family medicine residents' knowledge. A total of 31 participants took the pre-test (residents = 24; medical students = 7), and 30 participants took the post-test (residents = 23; medical students = 7). Mean scores and standard deviations were calculated for both tests with an average score of 37.50% ± 10.58% and 45.42% ± 11.12% on the pre- and post-test, respectively. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test, residents showed a significant improvement in test scores following the didactic presentation (p = 0.041), while overall results (residents and medical students) also reported a significant difference (p = 0.004). Our results demonstrated that educating family medicine residents and medical students on preoperative evaluation showed significant, quantifiable gains in knowledge following a brief didactic presentation. Given the current gap between guidelines and practice, our results emphasize the need for a formal medical school and residency-based curriculum related to preoperative patient evaluation.

Medical Students' Perceptions of Clinical and Research Training: An International Needs Assessment of 26 Countries.

Despite calls to incorporate research training into medical school curriculum, minimal research has been conducted to elucidate trends in research knowledge, opportunities, and involvement globally. This study aims to: (1) assess medical students' perceptions of the level of training they received on research based on their medical school training, and (2) evaluate the obstacles related to conducting research as part of medical students' training. A 94-question, bilingual survey designed by a small focus group of individuals from medical schools across the globe and administered to medical students from different parts of the world, distributed via social media networks (Twitter, Now X, Facebook) and email distributions via international partnerships from November 1 to December 31, 2020. The survey collected demographic information including age, gender, medical institution and country, degree, year in training, clinical rotations completed, plans for specialization, and additional graduate degrees completed. Statistical analysis included a summary of survey participant characteristics, and a comparison between regions, with a variety of comparison and logistic regression models used. A total of 318 medical students from 26 countries successfully completed the survey. Respondents were majority female (60.1%), from Latin America (LA) (53.1%), North America (NA) (28.6%), and Other world regions (Other) (18.2%). Students felt research was an important component of medical training (87.7%), although many reported lacking research support from their institution (47.5%). There were several reported barriers to research, including lack of research opportunities (69.4%), lack of mentors (56.6%), lack of formal training (54.6%), and barriers due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (49.3%). Less frequent were barriers related to financial resources (41.6%), physical resources (computer or internet access) (18%), and English language ability (6.9%). Students from Latin America and Other were more likely to report a desire to pursue research later in their medical careers compared with students from North America. Despite significant interest in research, medical students globally report a lack of formal research training, opportunities, and several barriers to conducting research, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The study highlights the need for student research training internationally and the role of further regional-specific and institutional-specific evaluation of research training needs.

Health literacy strategies: a Caribbean approach

Low health literacy is linked to poor health outcomes. Adequate health literacy depends on effective communication between patients and their healthcare providers, so it is important that physicians use health literacy strategies. This review article provides a brief account of the evolution of health literacy which shows a clear need to improve rates worldwide. It also addresses the relationship between the use of health literacy strategies and health outcomes; the physician’s role in health literacy including their implicit biases, training, gender, and region of training; and recommendations to improve policy-making, practice, and education in a Caribbean context. The implications for positive social change include the potential for health literacy training and inclusion in medical school curricula. The provision of health literacy training at all levels of education and practice aid in ensuring physicians are knowledgeable about the health literacy process, able to use strategies that can improve patients’ health literacy, and able to improve patient health outcomes. Recommendations on improving community literacy by engagement and empowerment are also discussed.

Anki Tagger: A Generative AI Tool for Aligning Third-Party Resources to Preclinical Curriculum.

Using large language models, we developed a method to efficiently query existing flashcard libraries and select those most relevant to an individual's medical school curricula.

Electronic Cigarette Prevalence and Knowledge Among Medical Students in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain: A Cross-National Study.

Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes and vapour devices) are the most commonly used form of alternative tobacco products (ATPs). The use of these vapour devices has been dramatically increasing worldwide, especially among current and former traditional cigarette smokers. A strong influence that will affect patients' health attitudes and play a crucial role in tobacco control and smoking cessation are medical students, as they are future physicians. Therefore, in our study, we aimed to determine the prevalence rate of e-cigarettes and the level of knowledge among medical students in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of medical students in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain using an online survey.Thiswas distributed through social media platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook.Medical students of all years were included. The questionnaire was adapted fromtwoprevious studies. Results The study enrolled 1730 medical students. The majority of the participants did not recommend the use of e-cigarettes as a method for smoking cessation or believed that these types of ATPs lower the risk of cancer in comparison with traditional cigarettes. The data showed a strong association between gender and e-cigarette smoking, with the majority of current smokers being men (n = 184) and experimental smokers being women (n = 800). Moreover, an educational gap was discovered, as few of the students had received an education in their medical school's curriculum on the use of e-cigarettes. There was a significant association between receiving an education at a medical school and having adequate knowledge of e-cigarettes. Conclusion The increasing number of e-cigarette users among medical students is concerning. Our study showed that students are not receiving a decent education on the use of ATPs during medical school, which urges further adjustment of the curriculum. This will play a huge role in their behaviour and the provision of future treatment plans to patients as physicians.

Health literacy strategies: a Caribbean approach

Low health literacy is linked to poor health outcomes. Adequate health literacy depends on effective communication between patients and their healthcare providers, so it is important that physicians use health literacy strategies. This review article provides a brief account of the evolution of health literacy which shows a clear need to improve rates worldwide. It also addresses the relationship between the use of health literacy strategies and health outcomes; the physician’s role in health literacy including their implicit biases, training, gender, and region of training; and recommendations to improve policy-making, practice, and education in a Caribbean context. The implications for positive social change include the potential for health literacy training and inclusion in medical school curricula. The provision of health literacy training at all levels of education and practice aid in ensuring physicians are knowledgeable about the health literacy process, able to use strategies that can improve patients’ health literacy, and able to improve patient health outcomes. Recommendations on improving community literacy by engagement and empowerment are also discussed.

An Online Survey of Australian Medical Students' Perspectives on Spiritual History Taking and Spiritual Care.

It is reported that little spiritual care communication skills training occurs in Australian medical schools. This survey explored the experience of final year students in this domain in order to inform the construction of a new curriculum. Medical students in their final year at four Australian medical schools were invited to participate in an online survey, which included questions about demographic details, exposure to spiritual history taking, perceived learning needs, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being 12 item Non-Illness score. Two-hundred and sixty students from a cohort of 766 responded (34%). One in nine students had witnessed spiritual history taking, and one in ten students had been given the opportunity to do so. Barriers and enablers were identified. Two-thirds of the students reported no recollection of any training in spiritual care. When it did occur, it was limited in scope and structure. Final year medical students recognise that spiritual care deserves a place in the modern, broad-based medical school curriculum. This supports the argument for inclusion of spiritual care training as part of all medical student curricula in Australia.

The transformative power of participating in Opening Minds Through Art (OMA), an expressive arts program for medical students

ABSTRACT Opening Minds Through Art (OMA) is a standardized expressive arts-based program that improves student attitudes toward persons living with dementia. Understanding how this change occurs is important for both educators and clinicians. In this study, narrative analysis was used to explore the impact of OMA on participating medical students. 111 students at six medical schools accepted an invitation to be part of OMA during the 2018–2020 academic years. After completing the program, participants were asked to write briefly about the impact of their OMA experience on their work as future physicians. These narratives were analyzed to identify themes relevant to the impact of the program. Students described appreciating both pragmatic and novel creative experiences in OMA, which differed from their traditional studies. Themes from the evaluation included: Inter and Intrapersonal Connection and Growth; Mastery of Anticipated Challenges; Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills; and Appreciation of Health Care Team Members. Teaching students to embrace clinical work with challenging and perceived “difficult” patients is often unaddressed in the medical school curriculum. This study suggests that the combination of medical knowledge and artistic expression can be used to benefit both students and persons living with dementia.

A global study on the abortion views and knowledge of trainee obstetrician-gynecologists.

To assess the knowledge and views of trainee obstetrician-gynecologists (ObGyn) on abortion. A cross-sectional study of trainee ObGyn was conducted by the World Association of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynecology. A study-specific questionnaire designed using Google Forms® was utilized for the study. The questionnaire was distributed electronically to study participants, to gather information on their sociodemographic characteristics, opinions, knowledge, and training on abortion. Collected data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS, version 25. Most (140, 74.8%) trainee ObGyn reported that abortion was legal in their countries and most (171, 91.4%) supported the legalization of abortion. Eleven (5.9%) trainees who did not support the legalization of abortion cited religious concerns as their most common reason (5/11, 45.5%). Nearly three-quarters (133, 71.1%) of the trainees would perform an abortion on request. Most of the trainees reported that abortion education was included in the medical school curricula (131, 70.1%) and the ObGyn residency training programs (155, 82.9%) in their countries. Notwithstanding, 36.4% (68) either did not know or did not correctly know the legal status of abortion in their countries. There is some disparity between ObGyn trainees' knowledge of safe abortion and their awareness of the legality of the same in their countries. There is a need for all countries to include abortion education in the curricula of medical schools and all ObGyn residency programs should offer abortion training to all residents. There is a need for increased advocacy for the legalization of abortion in countries where abortion remains criminalized.

A model for competency-based training of undergraduate medical students to perform screening and brief intervention in alcohol use disorder—Findings from a study in a medical college in Delhi

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major cause of prolonged disability and an economic burden on communities across the world. The undergraduate (UG) curriculum in medical school in India does not allow adequate time to a structured learning about alcohol use disorder, its treatment, and prevention. The screening and brief intervention module (SBI) developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is an effective way to reduce drinking among risky drinkers. Training of undergraduates in SBI may go a long way in early intervention among problem drinkers. Hence, there is a felt need to incorporated the module in the clinical training schedule to enhance SBI skills among UGs to provide appropriate intervention at the primary healthcare level. Methodology: 50 final year UG students of a medical college in Delhi were exposed to a competency-based training in alcohol SBI comprised of lectures, focused group discussions (FGD), and role-play during their 2-week clinical posting in psychiatry along with a hands-on training under supervision of faculty. Subsequently, they were assessed for knowledge and skills gained through objective-structured clinical examination (OSCE) and feedback taken from students about changes in their knowledge and attitudes towards alcohol use disorder SBI. Results: Pre- and post-self-reported outcome variables revealed significant positive impact (p &lt; 0.001) of SBI module on competency of students in implementing SBI on patients. Assessment of knowledge on OSCE revealed mean scores of 9.48 ± 1.20 on 10 MCQs (of 01 mark each) with 47 students scoring 80% or above. On integrated OSCE assessment of competencies, 94% students made satisfactory demonstration at a desired level. Attendance in lectures and supervised SBI, attitudes pre- and post-intervention and confidence level post-intervention were found to be predictors of a high MCQ score. All faculty agreed about the feasibility of implementing competency-based SBI in existing clinical posting schedule. Conclusion: The study has demonstrated the feasibility of teaching competency-based alcohol SBI to undergraduate medical students in existing clinical posting curriculum in psychiatry and its efficacy in having a positive impact on the perception and approach of the students towards patients with alcohol use disorder.

Navigating a transforming landscape: the evolving role of pharmacovigilance physicians in drug development and implications for future challenges and training requirements

Contrary to the famous quote from Voltaire, “The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient, while nature cures the disease”, medicine has evolved since the 17th century into a multi-faceted scientific field facilitating healing and improving overall wellbeing. One rapidly evolving area within this field is drug safety, also known as pharmacovigilance (PV). PV identifies and evaluates potential risks throughout the life cycle of the drug, minimizing patient exposure to harmful effects and guiding appropriate risk mitigation and management strategies. Timely identification and mitigation of risks not only contribute to patient safety but also allows maximum therapeutic benefits while curtailing economic burden associated with adverse events. In the evolving landscape of drug safety, the role of the PV physicians has emerged as an integral component of drug development. This paper aims to explore the evolving nature of PV physicians’ roles in drug development, highlighting changing landscape in drug development and safety monitoring and attendant changes and advancements in responsibilities, scope, and training implications. To be well-rounded, PV physicians are encouraged to strive to undergo relevant training and education. This would enable them to leverage pertinent complementary fields of science by developing the proficiency to ask the right questions, acknowledge multidisciplinary perspectives, and interpret the overall evidence. While on-the-job training is valuable for gaining experience, building a future safety workforce necessitates more targeted efforts, especially considering that medical school curricula may not readily emphasize the development of skills required for successful PV physician roles. Therefore, academic centers, pharmaceutical companies, and regulatory agencies should increase collaboration to establish hands-on training opportunities through post-doctoral, internship, and fellowship programs, in order to meet the growing demand for well-trained PV physicians.