We Need More Continuity Training

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Internal Medicine
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Current medical residency curricula, including those in internal medicine, pediatrics, and med-peds, may be disproportionately focused on inpatient training.
• This imbalance risks producing a generation of practitioners primarily skilled in hospital-based care, potentially at the expense of essential outpatient competencies.

Discussion:

• There is a critical need to enhance the continuity ambulatory component within medical, pediatric, and med-peds residency programs.
• Rebalancing training towards ambulatory settings is essential for comprehensive physician development.

Key Insights:

• Increasing continuity ambulatory training provides crucial opportunities for resident autonomy.
• Direct patient care experiences in ambulatory settings are vital for vocational formation.
• Enhanced outpatient training is necessary to ensure well-rounded physician capabilities.

Outlook:

• Future curriculum development should prioritize strengthening ambulatory training to better prepare residents for diverse practice settings.
• A greater emphasis on continuity ambulatory care will foster more competent and adaptable physicians.