Medical student education in ambulatory care

New forms of health care delivery and reimbursement trends have increased interest in the ambulatory care setting as a site for medical student education. It is estimated that from 50% to 60% of all medical students receive some portion of their medical training in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility. However, only about 5% of the total student ambulatory care educational experience is taking place at VA facilities. The problems in implementing and maintaining ambulatory care teaching programs for medical students encompass a variety of areas, such as lack of faculty incentive, time, expertise, and commitment; student resistance to training in this less attractive arena, and economic obstacles. Medical schools and VA medical centers will have to work in a mutually supportive relationship to develop joint goals and objectives for medical student teaching. Commitment of resources is essential, as is the need to reward ambulatory teaching through academic advancement and salary incentives. Faculty recruitment and development will be necessary, and research to identify the most successful of the VA ambulatory care teaching settings should be undertaken. The time has come for improved medical student education in VA ambulatory care settings, and there is now a need for collaborative planning between the medical schools and the VA.