The recent editorial by Rees and Stephenson1 comes at a most opportune time as the healthcare world, in which our future graduates will work, becomes more dynamic than ever. The editorial clearly outlines the major steps in development and the challenges that anyone involved in healthcare education will expect to face in the near future. However, I feel that one vital component needs greater emphasis, and that is the recognition given to the specialty of medical education.
Having started life as a working GP, and through an interest in training and assessment, I have now become a full-time consultant in medical education and I feel that I can see the situation from both sides. What still amazes me is that, despite everyone stating very clearly that the future of our health lies in education, how little notice is paid to the support and development of medical education, how little credibility is afforded to publications in medical education journals, and how little attention is paid to high quality research in the subject; truly a Cinderella within the pantomime of academia.
As a medical educationalist, I have a Masters and a Doctorate in the specialty, but still my colleagues in other academic subjects consider me to have opted out, chosen a soft science, gone for an easy option — I can assure everyone, it is not!
Let’s take forward the suggestions from this much needed and welcoming editorial, let’s invest in the future by investing in our educationalists; remember as we all get older, we may come to thank these specialists for producing the doctor that is now providing us with excellent care.
- © British Journal of General Practice, 2010.