Training physicians for the future US Health Care System

Changes in US medical education have not yet paralleled the extraordinary recent advances in biomedical science. This is about to change with recent innovations in undergraduate medical education (UME) pedagogy. These changes include the 'flipped classroom,' new Liaison Committee on Medical Education requirements for learners to function collaboratively on health care teams that include other health professionals, the comprehensive development of professional identity in learning communities and adoption of measurable outcomes, termed 'entrustable professional activities'. These innovations offer the opportunity for a consistent longitudinal educational continuum in the US from UME to Graduate Medical Education (GME) and continuing medical education (CME). Such innovation addresses both individual patient and population health, with the potential for increasing shared decision-making and patient satisfaction. These innovations in US medical education have the potential to address the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's triple aim of improving patient care, improving the health of populations and reducing the per capita cost of health care.