Healthcare is rapidly changing, presenting challenges to new physicians and the organizations that train them.
The rise of AI, new technologies, patient demands and increased awareness in social determinants of health and equity have pushed leaders and organizations to change how they evaluate healthcare workers' preparedness as they enter the field. In many cases — when addressing equity, for example — physicians are not always trained in how to address or screen for these issues.
These needs are fueling a push to update how medical schools train physicians for the future of healthcare. Some systems have already started making changes.
Aurora-based University of Colorado School of Medicine is the first in the nation to adopt a strategy in which students concurrently train in multiple specialities rather than separate stints in each specialty — the common practice in the U.S.
New York City-based Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, meanwhile, has reimagined its curriculum to focus on early research involvement, long-lasting mentorship and on topics such as leadership and social justice.
Change is coming, but here are a few more urgent needs for medical education that deserve focus, according to five leaders who connected with Becker's:
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
John Chae, MD. Chief Academic Officer at MetroHealth (Cleveland): First, the framework of evidence-based practice, which includes clinical expertise, understanding evidence and patient values, is crucial. We're good at providing clinical training, but not every physician has a strong grasp of the scientific evidence behind their practices. Medical students need to understand what evidence is and isn't.
Second, we need to engage patients beyond just informing them. Simply providing information is inadequate; we must help patients act on it. Physicians need to build therapeutic relationships, emotionally engaging with patients to ensure they follow recommendations. This involves training in evidence understanding and developing these relationships. Currently, most medical training focuses on clinical expertise, but we must also focus on evidence understanding and relationship building.
Chris Frost, MD. Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer at Lifepoint Health (Brentwood, Tenn.): Medical education should include humility, acknowledging that clinical care processes need to evolve with new information. Change management, focusing on the people's side of change, should be part of the curriculum. Additionally, empathic and compassionate care should be emphasized, including care for clinical team members. Physician burnout is a health crisis, and open communication and psychological safety are vital. Technological shifts, especially AI, will impact medical education. Embracing AI optimizes learning, but overuse could limit independent thinking. Preparing for these changes is essential.
Robert Hart, MD. Chief Physician Executive at Ochsner Health (New Orleans): We can meet increased patient demand by embracing technology that allows physicians to practice efficiently without compromising quality or patient satisfaction. What's urgently needed in medical education is to introduce tech-enabled programs to expand access. Emerging physicians prioritizing technology can result in better patient care, the ability to see more patients and better job satisfaction for physicians.
Jill Kalman, MD. Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Physician-in-Chief and Executive Vice President at Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.): At a very high level, what we need in medical education is to ensure that our curriculum and students remain on the cutting edge of healthcare, preparing our future doctors for all the healthcare challenges and incredible opportunities in terms of innovation. This means embedding new technologies — such as AI, precision medicine, digital 3D printing, and gene and stem cell therapy — into medical education. Additionally, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging must be included for our medical students to create physicians who reflect and connect with our patients and address the individual health needs of our communities. It's imperative to change the trajectory from episodic care to continuous care and prevention.
Moreover, advancing humanism, ethics and wellness is crucial in education. This applies not only to how our medical students treat patients but also to how they treat each other. Having a medical school integrated into a health system, like our Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra is with Northwell, is vital. From the very beginning of their education, students understand healthcare delivery, services, and communities, which is incredibly important.
Syed Raza, MD. Chief Medical Officer at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center (Houston): We need a more holistic and proactive approach to patient care. Currently, our approach is reactive: "Find it, fix it." Learners take cues from their attending physicians. If attendings focus on one organ system rather than the whole patient, students learn to see medicine through a specialty lens. This snowballs when numerous specialists see the patient, each focused on their small portion. Students witness extensive evaluations, prolonged stays and increased complications, thinking this is normal. This mindset carries forward to their practice. Incorporating multidisciplinary rounds, palliative care and ethics would help achieve a more holistic approach. Risk and benefit must be part of the discussion.