Medical education: the next revolution?

Abstract

Contemporary medical education, based on ideas and methods developed in the 19th century, no longer prepares medical graduates for careers in the 21st century. Changes and improvements in health care systems will demand changes in the way doctors are educated, and how their values and attitudes, as well as their knowledge and skills, are shaped. Serious questions are being raised about what is taught in medical school, how it is taught, where it is taught, and who does the teaching. In the future medical schools will need to use active, problem-based teaching methodologies that encourage students to 'learn how to learn'. Educational activities will take place in community settings as well as within hospitals, and general practitioners will play a much greater role in undergraduate education.