Medical education has evolved significantly over the last few decades — but are there key elements still missing? Sheldon Taub, MD, gastroenterologist at Jupiter (Fla.) Medical Center, joined Becker’s to discuss how medical training has changed since he entered the field and shares the lessons he believes future physicians should be learning in today’s classrooms.
Question: Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently during your time in medical school?
Dr. Sheldon Taub: Medical training has changed drastically over the last 50 years. Knowing what I know now, I certainly think it would’ve been helpful to have business courses taught, as well as instructing how to communicate effectively with insurance companies. When I trained, computers were not part of the system. Today, it’s critically important to have good basic knowledge and computer skills. Analyzing scientific information was never taught, and I think, the ability to discern fact from fiction is critically important. The physician-centered care model has disappeared, so it’s important that training now includes working in interprofessional teams. Shared decision-making with the patient is now of utmost importance, and this was never taught previously. Physicians’ mental and physical health was never taken into consideration, and I feel now there is stronger emphasis on these aspects of medical training.
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