POSTECH CONFERENCE ORGANIZER

The Changing Landscape of Medical Education in the U.S.

Augustine M.K. Choi, MD

Weill Cornell Medicine

New York, NY

  As the United States enters an endemic stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, this is a pivotal moment to reflect on the state of medical education and how medical schools can best train the next generation of doctors.  

  First, minority communities experiencing poverty and neglect have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 in the U.S.  Building a diverse and inclusive medical workforce is a crucial strategy for addressing inequities in healthcare.  

  Second, medical schools must ensure that doctors can communicate clearly to various constituencies.  This includes teaching doctors to give effective care through telemedicine with better listening skills and web-side manner. Technology can enrich the learning experience, and telemedicine instruction is increasingly essential for clinicians.  

  Third, medical education should foster habits of inquiry and teach doctors to work in multidisciplinary teams.  The development of hospital medicine as a specialty is an important example of how an inter-professional approach can improve patient outcomes and health system efficiency.  

  Fourth, translating the research discoveries to facilitate “bench to bedside” and innovations to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics  to  have impact on patient care is paramount. Finally, training doctors with a greater emphasis on clinician well-being and public health can help prepare us for the next pandemic.