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Professional Responsibility pp 113–126Cite as

Erecting the Pipeline for Socially Responsible Physicians

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Part of the book series: Advances in Medical Education ((AMEDUC,volume 4))

Abstract

The United States, rich in technology and extensive in health expenditures, has numerous pockets of patients that receive disparate health care. Much of this is a result of the undervaluing of primary care specialties, caused in part by the drift from medical professionalism. Aspects of professionalism including recognition and attention to civic engagement, pursuit of social justice and placing the needs of patients first, continually compete with the economic, prestige, and lifestyle incentives of the subspecialties.

One strategy to remedy this conundrum is to holistically evaluate, select, educate, and train the next generation of socially responsible physicians. This requires a well-articulated mission for the medical school and an admission committee vested in that mission. A critical mass of mission-driven students, with pre-professed and demonstrated interest in primary and population-based care, complete with strong mentoring and support, is necessary to help counter the vigorous tug of subspecialty recruitment.

Beyond recruitment, a curriculum that provides strong and consistent exposure to primary and population-based care, valuing community projects and commitments during medical school training is essential. This curriculum must also continually reinforce the student/physician’s responsibility to ensure the equitable health of the local community and be responsible for examining the outcomes, rather than process measures. This will necessitate the medical school to provide meaningful, integrated, and consistent exposure to positive role models, workshops, clubs, and opportunities specific to primary care specialties for the encouragement and excitement of these impressionable students.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA

    Emma Simmons

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA

    Scott A. Allen MD

  3. Department of Biomedical Science, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA, USA

    Neal L. Schiller PhD

Authors
  1. Emma Simmons
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  2. Scott A. Allen MD
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  3. Neal L. Schiller PhD
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Correspondence to Emma Simmons .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Education, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA

    Douglas E. Mitchell

  2. Graduate School of Education, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA

    Robert K. Ream

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Simmons, E., Allen, S.A., Schiller, N.L. (2015). Erecting the Pipeline for Socially Responsible Physicians. In: Mitchell, D., Ream, R. (eds) Professional Responsibility. Advances in Medical Education, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02603-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02603-9_7

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