Introducing residents to a career in management: The physician management pathway

To prepare their students and residents for the practice of medicine in a r apidly changing environment, medical educators must teach the business of m edicine as well as the science and art of medicine. Recognizing the value o f and demand for physician leaders, the authors sought to introduce residen ts to diverse aspects of medical administration within the context of an ac ademically rigorous internal medicine residency program. The Physician Mana gement Pathway (PMP) was developed in 1991 to expose interested residents t o the management concepts employed by physician managers; to help physician trainees begin to develop the leadership and technical skills they will us e as physician managers; to provide career mentoring; to provide experience s that enrich the resident's training in clinical medicine; to enhance resi dent-directed educational activities; and to produce physicians who can suc cessfully work in any health care environment. The PMP curriculum consists of a monthly seminar series, a preceptorship experience in the second year of residency, and a supervised project in the third year. The program was n ot designed to provide competency in management, but rather is intended to provide an opportunity for new physicians to explore options in this exciti ng and changing profession.