Second Flexner Century: The Democratization of Medical Knowledge: Repurposing a General Pathology Course Into...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Reform
• Public Health Literacy
• Pathology Education

Background:

• The 1910 Flexner Revolution transformed US medical education into a university-based system.
• The 21st century, or "Second Flexner Century," requires a shift towards educating the general population in health literacies.
• Increasing patient responsibility in healthcare and medical errors necessitate population-wide health education reform.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline a strategy for integrating medical science education into the general population, starting with K-12 students.
• To propose nomenclature for new "gateway" courses on disease mechanisms.
• To encourage academic pathology departments to participate in democratizing medical knowledge.

Main Methods:

• Development and testing of a general pathology course adapted as "gateway" courses.
• Creation of a "top-down" strategy for pathology coursework tailored for nonmedical students.
• Identification of insertion points within the US education continuum for these courses.

Main Results:

• A framework for "gateway" courses in disease mechanisms has been established.
• A strategic approach for developing pathology curricula for nonmedical learners is presented.
• Opportunities for pathology departments to engage in public medical knowledge dissemination are identified.

Conclusions:

• Retrofitting medical science education for the general population is a critical, albeit challenging, task for the "Second Flexner Century."
• Empowering patients with health literacy is essential for the future of healthcare delivery.
• A national "Democratization of Medical Knowledge" initiative can be advanced by academic pathology departments.