Washington, D.C., January 29, 2009—AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., issued the following statement today on the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation's new report, "Revisiting the Medical School Mission at a Time of Expansion":

"Representatives of the AAMC were pleased to be a part of the important dialogue that resulted in this new report on medical schools in the 21st century. The way we educate doctors has undergone significant change in the 100 years since Abraham Flexner, and this report reflects the consensus that the nation's medical schools are continuing to innovate and improve the education of tomorrow's doctors so that they are prepared to care for their future patients.

Many of the reforms suggested in the report are already well under way, and the nation's medical schools are committed to continuous improvement and change. For example, the AAMC and our members are pursuing a number of efforts to encourage more minority students to choose a career in medicine, including a more holistic approach to medical school admission decisions. Schools are expanding student engagement in community service, and most schools include health care disparities in their required curricula. In addition, a soon-to-be-completed study will recommend science competencies that all students should demonstrate before receiving an M.D. degree. Another study group will report later this year on essential competencies in the behavioral and social sciences. This work will help inform a full scale review of the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT) exam, which began last year.

The quality of physicians graduating today from U.S. medical schools is higher than at any other time in our history, yet challenges remain. Despite the broad commitment to improvement that exists among medical school leaders, barriers such as declining funding for medical education and a reimbursement system that rewards intervention rather than prevention and discourages primary care, are substantial obstacles to change. The recommendations outlined in this report provide key ideas which could accelerate our efforts to improve medical education at a time of potential major change in our overall health care system. Medical education must always strive to serve the ever changing needs of patients by remaining a dynamic, evolving process—because better doctors mean better care."

For further information about:

• Efforts to increase diversity in medicine, go to: www.aspiringdocs.org and www.smdep.org
• AAMC Holistic Review project, go to: www.aamc.org/opi/holisticreview
• MCAT exam review, go to: www.aamc.org/newsroom/pressrel/2008/081016.htm

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The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association representing all 131 accredited U.S. and 17 accredited Canadian medical schools; nearly 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems, including 68 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and nearly 90 academic and scientific societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC represents 128,000 faculty members, 75,000 medical students, and 110,000 resident physicians. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at www.aamc.org/newsroom.

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