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Preparing doctors for tomorrow: information management as a theme in undergraduate medical education
Author(s) -
JENNETT P. A.,
EDWORTHY S. M.,
ROSENAL T. W.,
MAES W. R.,
YEE N.,
JARDINE P. G.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
medical education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1365-2923
pISSN - 0308-0110
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2923.1991.tb00039.x
Subject(s) - theme (computing) , medical education , medicine , engineering ethics , engineering , computer science , world wide web
Summary. The evolving nature of medical knowledge and technology requires that the practitioners of tomorrow be able to develop practice management and computer skills in order to enhance quality patient care, ongoing education, and research. The paper describes how the discipline of medical informatics can be integrated into an undergraduate medical curriculum, not as a course or series of courses, but as a repeated theme throughout the 3‐year systembased curriculum. Recommendations specific to integrating medical informatics into an undergraduate curriculum are outlined with respect to: (1) content; (2) content organization; (3) management; and (4) evaluation. Six areas of information and computer management applications are discussed. These are computer‐assisted learning, retrieving and organizing information from computerised databases, the application of medical informatics tools to the critical appraisal of literature and associated statistical software packages, hospital ‐ and office‐based information systems, and electronic communications. Medical education has a history of resistance to change. Reference to guidelines and experiences of others who have negotiated information management and medical informatics changes into medical school environments can therefore be helpful. It is in this context that this paper is presented.