The standards of graduate medical education nationwide need to be updated to reflect new population patterns and emerging technology, according to a report released last Thursday by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, an organization focused on advancing the training of health professionals.
The report identifies four areas in which GME is not adequately preparing students for future practices, and it also provides recommendations for reform.
One area in which medical education is lacking, the report said, is developing techniques to target the "changing demographics and disease burden of our patient population." The population of people in the United States older than 65, the report states, is expected to double by 2030.
To address these issues, more medical residents and fellows need to pursue fields dealing with primary care, such as pediatrics, psychiatry and geriatrics, Dr. Susan Kirk, associate dean of graduate medical education at the University Medical Center, said in an email.
"Students are responsible for making their career specialty choices," Kirk said, adding that factors such as "student debt, future earning potential and lifestyle" drive many medical residents away from primary care fields, including geriatrics.
Although the foundation suggested changes that need to be made, students will continue to pursue other medical fields unless "measures go into place nationally to address these concerns," Kirk said.\nIn part because of the aging population and the burden of increasing disease rates in the United States, care delivery is also changing, the report said. Care delivery is moving out of the hospital and "into other facilities, the community, and the home," it said.
New programs at the University that deal with this issue are being enacted. One such program provides matching funds so that the new Hospice and Palliative Care Fellowship can begin training physicians, Kirk said.
The report also suggested that GME can do a better job teaching medical residents about "explosive" growth in health care technology.
According to the report, advances in medical diagnostics and information technology can help doctors improve the care their patients receive, but these emerging technologies must be understood by new doctors who are just now finishing their graduate education.
In the face of these challenges, Kirk says the University remains committed to providing up-to-date instruction through its dedicated and knowledgeable faculty.
"The University of Virginia is one of the most outstanding institutions for educating newly graduated medical students to become highly-trained, fully proficient physicians in almost 100 different types of medical specialties," Kirk said.
Read More
United Healthcare takes over as student health insurance provider
By Lauren Seeliger | 1 hours agoAll University students are required to be medically insured, but the University student plan is only required for students who do not have other, valid health insurance.
University community leaders gather at the Rotunda to speak about interim President Mahoney
By Xander Tilock | 6 hours agoEach speaker addressed concerns over a lack of input from students, faculty, staff and community members in the circumstances which led to former University President Jim Ryan’s resignation and the decision-making process since then.
![“How can I have trust [in the Board] if I don't even know how they incorporated [students'] feedback?” Student Council President Clay Dickerson said in an interview.](https://snworksceo.imgix.net/cav/8221f397-1c24-4ef7-8478-ab26c9257190.sized-1000x1000.jpg?w=1000&ar=4%3A3&fit=crop&crop=faces&facepad=3&auto=format)
Student Council passes vote of no confidence in the Board of Visitors
By Cecilia Mould | 2 days agoAccording to the resolution, the Board failed to respond to Student Council’s July 15 requests and has ignored student leaders’ concern with the current selection process.
