Realizing that Education is the Priority

Caring for others is what attracted most of us to the field of medicine, but teaching the next generation of health professionals will be our enduring legacy. There is no finer task. Treating a patient with a rare disorder brings immediate satisfaction, but teaching a skill or imparting special knowledge can have an effect on generations of health professionals and their patients. Although the presence of students may slow our care of patients, most health professionals consider teaching an obligation and a pleasure. Teaching is also an important learning process for the teacher.

Education in the clinical disciplines has changed significantly during the past century. What was once an apprenticeship model of teaching evolved to more of a full-time faculty model in many schools, although the communitybased faculty still provides a large amount of clinical education. Now, regulatory activities (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA], coding, etc.) have increased the administrative burden for health professionals, resulting in more frustration and decreased time spent with students. For the clinical faculty, increased productivity expectations have further compromised their contributions to the other academic missions. Nevertheless, what sustains the great physician now and in the future is the opportunity to teach young doctors how to care for others.