5 medical schools join AMA effort to transform doctor education

An American Medical Association consortium focused on developing a modernized curriculum to better prepare future physicians for the 21st century healthcare system continues to gain momentum.

AMA announced on Tuesday that five additional medical schools have joined its Accelerating Change in Medical Education consortium, bringing the total number of institutions to 37.

The 37-member consortium will support training for an estimated 24,000 medical students who will one day care for 41 million patients annually, according to the AMA.

“Working together, we have already made significant progress toward preparing future physicians to provide care in the modern, technology-driven healthcare environment,” said AMA President-elect Patrice Harris, MD, in a written statement. “Knowing that our work is far from complete, we are excited to welcome five additional medical schools to our community as we promote innovation to tackle the biggest challenges in healthcare.”

The new consortium members, who have made a three-year commitment, include:

· Stanford University School of Medicine

· University of California, Irvine School of Medicine

· University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

· University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

· Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Launched in 2013, the Accelerating Change in Medical Education initiative is an attempt to “bridge the gaps that exist between how medical students are trained and how healthcare is delivered in the modern healthcare system,” contends the AMA.

For example, Emory University School of Medicine—a member of the AMA consortium—developed standardized education in quality improvement and patient safety.

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The innovative curricula the 37-member consortium are focusing on developing include new projects such as equipping physicians to help patients better navigate digital health technology, as well as using virtual reality technology to address social determinants of health and improve the quality of care.

Ultimately, the goal is to implement the education innovations in medical schools across the country.