TORONTO - A new report recommends adaptations and reforms at medical schools across the country so that Canada's doctors will have more skills they'll need in the future.
The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada released the report on the future of medical education Thursday, saying that it provides a collective vision to address many of the challenges facing the health-care system.
Dr. Nick Busing, co-chair of the task force producing the report, says they're proud of the medical education offered in Canada and there are no glaring problems.
But on the other hand, he says there hasn't been a comprehensive review of how medical education is structured for at least 100 years.
He says the medical needs of communities are changing, and there's an increasing incidence of chronic disease and a greater focus on community- and office-based care for everyone except the most severely ill.
Meanwhile, he says medical students are trained mainly in teaching hospitals and not in an environment where they will necessarily see ambulatory chronic disease problems.
Busing says the faculties of medicine need to continue to look for the best and brightest to enter med school, but they also need to stress communication skills, the need to work in teams, and empathy skills in terms of relating to patients.
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