Introductory Chapter: A Quest to Transform Graduate Medical Education into a Seamless Journey toward Practice Readiness

Introductory Chapter: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Graduate Medical Education

“…This was accompanied by increases in life expectancy and a shift in chronic comorbidity patterns [21,22], creating unique socioeconomic challenges [23]. Note that although the average annual per-capita growth in health expenditures has declined during the past decade, the US health-care system still holds the highest per-capita cost among high-income countries (approximately $11,000) [24,25]. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exposed several critical vulnerabilities among global healthcare systems.…”

“…As one explores this second volume of Contemporary Topics in Graduate Medical Education, it becomes apparent how complex and interdependent various components are within the matrix of modern healthcare and graduate medical training [25]. The same can be said about the different domains of one's life, as a physician-intraining is an individual with a personal life, family, goals and ambitions, and hobbies as well as unique gifts and abilities.…”

“…Leadership in healthcare is extremely important, and there needs to be more emphasis on fostering the development of physician-leaders within our GME Contemporary Topics in Graduate Medical Education -Volume 2 programs [25]. The physician's primary purpose is patient care, accompanied by the education of patients, students, residents, colleagues, and various decision-makers within the society.…”

“…Effective multidisciplinary teams require strong, yet flexible, leaders who possess a good understanding of clinical research and key scientific principles, the ability to comfortably approach complex disease states and pathophysiology, familiarity with medical economics, ethics, diversity and inclusion, as well as skills required to build and maintain collaborative relationships across disciplines [25]. Physicians are uniquely suited to provide such leadership, and it is critical for our GME systems to adequately prepare such leaders of tomorrow by teaching flexibility, nimbleness, and adaptability.…”