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Medical and premedical scientific competencies: opportunity and challenge
Author(s) -
Silverthorn Dee U,
Galey William R.,
Dalley Arthur E.,
Bond Judith S
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.lb167
Subject(s) - coursework , medical education , curriculum , medical school , medicine , psychology , engineering ethics , pedagogy , engineering
In 2007 the AAMC and Howard Hughes Medical Institute convened the Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians Committee (SFFP). The committee, composed of basic and clinical scientists and undergraduate scientist‐educators, was charged with "recommend[ing] specific [scientific] competencies . . . fundamental to medicine that all medical students should demonstrate," and "identify[ing] scientific competencies that learners should demonstrate before entry into medical school [with] emphasis . . . on defined knowledge, scientific concepts and skills rather than specific courses or disciplines." The committee report, published this spring, begins with overarching principles that span all of the scientific disciplines, followed by scientific competencies and associated learning objectives for medical and premedical students. The premedical section ends with a discussion of how innovative curricula might allow students to achieve these competencies in place of the traditional pre‐med coursework. The SFFP report debuts as AAMC begins revision of the MCAT, the National Board of Medical Examiners revises the USMLE, NSF discusses the undergraduate biology experience in its Vision and Change meetings, and the College Board revises the AP Biology curriculum. Coordinating recommendations from these diverse groups will provide faculty with opportunities and challenges in the years to come.