Ten key features of the future medical school—not an impossible dream

Abstract

Significant developments in medical education are necessary if medical schools are to respond to the pressures from advances in medicine, changes in health care delivery, and patient and public expectations. This article describes 10 key features of the medical school of the future: the move from the ivory tower to the real world, from just-in-case learning to just-in-time learning, from the basic science clinical divide to full integration, from undervalued teaching and the teacher to recognition of their importance, from the student as a client to the student as partner, from a mystery tour to a mapped journey, from standard uniform practice to an adaptive curriculum, from a failure to exploit learning technology to its effective and creative use, from assessment of learning to assessment for learning, and from working in isolation to greater collaboration. A move in the directions specified is necessary and possible. With some of the changes proposed already happening, it is not an impossible dream.

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Glossary

Adaptive curriculum: An adaptive curriculum is personalized to the individual student’s needs in terms of pace, duration, and learning approaches.

Unbundling the curriculum: In an unbundled curriculum the school does not deliver its program in isolation but shares with other schools teachers, educational expertise, elements of the curriculum, learning resources, and assessments.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ronald M. Harden

Ronald M. Harden, OBE, MD, FRCP(Glas), FRCS(Ed), FRCPC, is a professor of Medical Education (Emeritus) at the University of Dundee, Editor of Medical Teacher and General Secretary and Treasurer of AMEE, an International Association for Medical Education.