Learner-Centered Medical Education

The subordination of teaching to research and patient care overshadows all other obstacles to establishing a student-oriented curriculum and the situation is far from hopeless, explains Dr. Kennet...

Abstract

Medical students occupy a curious position in the history of the American medical school. Before World War II, the education of medical students was the central mission of medical schools, and undergraduate medical education remains their one unique mission. Yet after World War II, as medical faculties expanded their activities in graduate-level teaching, research, and patient care, the education of medical students became no more than a byproduct of the operation of academic health centers.1 The diminishing visibility of the medical student is not in itself harmful for medical education, provided that faculties take students and teaching seriously. However, from . . .