Rural training sites are ideal for students to confront social, political, and economic forces underlying ill health in our society. Medical education for rural practice must provide early and sustained exposure to rural communities and rural physician role models, particularly through university-community partnerships. (Author/MSE)

Offers a four-part plan for developing a four-year curriculum in preventive medicine: (1) develop the desired objectives or competencies; (2) present the basics in years 1 and 2; (3) focus on health promotion/disease prevention and population health in years 3 and 4; and (4) develop a mechanism to evaluate and improve the curriculum. (DB)

Discusses the role of public health (PH) professionals in preventing family and intimate violence including findings from PH research, such as the cycle of violence and need to include abuse issues across the lifespan into medical education. Proposes that incorporating PH principles into medical education can help forge an effective partnership…

Lessons learned from experience about shaping science policy include (1) the partnership between health and science interests is fundamental; (2) research fund allocation should be based on scientific merit; (3) better data and careful analysis are vital to decision making; and (4) policy principles should be clear and concise. (Author/MSE)

The report of the Association of American Medical Colleges' Medical School Objectives Program presents the work of two expert panels. One, on medical informatics, identified five important physician roles: lifelong learner, clinician, educator, researcher, and manager. Another panel established a definition for "population health…

Although medical education changes in response to advances in biological sciences and technology, changes in public health and attitudes outside medicine may have even more impact on medical education. Medical students need a foundation in both natural and social sciences to deal with the complex interrelationships between social and physical…

A growing discontinuity between medical education and the general health needs of society is examined. It is argued that there is imbalance in the training of health professionals because academic medical centers are dominated by supply-side thinking, driven by knowledge and technological advances, not patient and health expectations. (Author/MSE)

Important issues facing the 101st Congress are discussed including: reform of the way Medicare pays for physician services; efforts to review the appropriateness and quality of care furnished; volume of services being furnished; long-term care; AIDS epidemic; and the needs of those who lack basic health insurance. (MLW)

Suggests that changes in the structure of medical education can contribute to creating a health care system that helps end domestic violence. Medical educators can provide training experiences that foster understanding of complex social issues and development of cooperative skills, help students integrate them into routine practice, and model…

Four professional participants in a well-developed community-based medical education system examine the implications of current change for their various roles, managing a community hospital, directing a local area health education center, teaching family medicine, and as a community preceptor. Some common themes concerning community-based medical…