Statement attributable to:
David O. Barbe, M.D.
President, American Medical Association
“As AMA President, it is my absolute pleasure to congratulate the 2018 graduating class of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine. These men and women are among the very first medical school graduates to receive their training as part of our ongoing state-of-the-art effort aimed at transforming the way physicians are trained nationwide. Because of this innovative new curriculum, these future physicians will be better equipped to provide care in a practice environment of rapid progress, new technology, and changing expectations both from government and society.
“As physicians, we are bonded by our shared desire to help our patients, and I wish the class of 2018 much success as they pursue that passion. We look forward to continuing our efforts with OHSU and other medical schools throughout the country to accelerate change in medical education to ensure that even more future physicians learn about the newest technologies, health care reforms and scientific discoveries that continue to alter what physicians need to know to practice in modern health care systems.”
Through the AMA’s Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium, OHSU School of Medicine has been working with 31 leading medical schools over the last five years to develop innovative curricula that are currently being shared throughout the country. In 2013, OHSU School of Medicine was awarded a $1 million AMA grant and selected to join the AMA Consortium for its bold and innovative idea to create a competency-based curriculum.
Launched in August 2014, OHSU’s YOUR M.D. curriculum allows students to advance through medical school after successfully demonstrating competency in core areas through their own individualized learning plans, which means some students are graduating sooner with reduced debt. In fact, OHSU’s curriculum has already reduced medical student debt by nearly 17 thousand dollars per student since 2015, and allowed nearly 25 percent of its 2018 graduating class to graduate early.
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
