THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL-SCHOOL COURSES IN PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND PERSPECTIVES

This article looks toward the future of medical school courses in prof essional skills and perspectives by addressing the extent to which the y are a valid model for educating physicians of the 21st century, high lighting what medical educators can learn from the experiences at a sa mple of four medical schools, and suggesting ways to strengthen this c urricular genre. Each of the four courses described in this special fe ature strives to provide exposure and experience in behavioral science , medical ethics, physician-patient communication, health promotion an d disease prevention, physical examination, clinical reasoning, and he alth services and financing. It is likely that students who will be pr acticing medicine in the 21st century would also benefit from more att ention to personal awareness and professional growth. Several lessons can be drawn from the experiences with these courses: although complex , they are directed by very small groups of faculty; they require larg e numbers of teaching faculty; it is difficult to establish equal foot ing with basic science courses; evaluation of students' progress is a major challenge; it is important to clearly articulate course componen ts; the emphasis must extend beyond the first two years; and ongoing s tudent and faculty input is essential. The authors suggest that conduc ting outcome assessments, creating a more humane culture of medical ed ucation, and supporting course faculty are key to a stable future for these courses and a solid education for the students.