One of our favorite medical bloggers, DB, is a medical professor, academic administrator and a former primary care physician.

DB is a favorite because he thinks clearly and writes crisply about complex subjects that matter to patients as well as doctors. Many writers need 200 pages to say what he says in a few paragraphs. He points out on his website that he does not speak for his employer, an academic medical center.

Today he is writing a response to a call for a new Flexner Report.

In order to understand why DB’s comments are so important on this topic, here is the simplest explanation of what the Flexner Report is.  It remains the “bible” of medical education.

In 1910, the Carnegie Foundation published an extensive report by educator Abraham Flexner, which examined medical education in America and Canada and made recommendations for improvements.  Sweeping changes were made as a result of the report. Standards were raised. Schools not up to the job closed.

One century later, in a field of education where challenge is the order of the day every day, no one has undertaken a Flexner II— or any other substantive review of how medical education is functioning now.

The post is quoted in full, with the author’s kind permission.

DB’s Medrants

…”Whenever we have a problem in our society, our investigation should start by following the money.  The money in academic centers comes from grants and clinical practice.  As I often say, you look at most medical schools and the priorities are (in order):

1. Grants
2. Clinical income
3. Fellowship training
4. Residency training
5. Medical student education

“I hope that I am not being optimistic ranking medical student education so high.

“Now those who are not physicians are scratching their heads.  Medical students are cheering.  Medical school higher ups should reflect carefully on how we prioritize our activities and our hierarchy.

“We do need a new Flexner report.  We need a report on refocusing medical schools so that education really is the number one priority.  What could be more important that providing excellent humane training for those who will soon provide our own care?

“As someone once said (would love an attribution), the only thing unique about medical schools is that they are designed to teach medical students.  You can do research at a research institute; you can provide complex care at a hospital without students; you can train fellows and residents without students.  But medical schools have their name because they are supposed to teach students (who by the way pay exorbitant tuition) both the art and the science of medicine. (Emphasis added)

“I wish our schools had mission statements that were that simple.”

Source: DB’s Medrants, February 5, 2010