Deans' report outlines vision for improving medical education
Medical education in the United States must undergo significant change in order to better prepare physicians for the nation's rapidly evolving health care needs, according to a new report by a panel of medical school deans convened by the AAMC. The report, "Educating Doctors to Provide High Quality Medical Care," identifies opportunities for improving the three phases of physician education: medical school, residency training, and continuing medical education. While the panel members acknowledged the successes that American medical education has enjoyed, the report supports the findings of other national organizations, such as the Institute of Medicine and The Commonwealth Fund, in its recommendation that substantial changes be made to the education of future physicians.

The work of the medical school deans' panel will be further reflected in the action agenda for the AAMC's Institute for Improving Medical Education, which was created to foster innovations in every stage of medical education. For more information, visit http://www.aamc.org/meded/iime.

International NIH clinical research fellowship program seeks applicants
The National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center is seeking applications for a program that offers one-year clinical research training experiences for graduate-level students in the health professions. The program is managed by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Association of Schools of Public Health, with support from the Ellison Medical Foundation. The fellowship program provides U.S. students the opportunity to experience mentored research training at NIH-funded research centers in developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Botswana, Haiti, India, Mali, Peru, South Africa and Thailand. Applications for the one-year term beginning July 2005 are now available; the deadline is Jan. 7. For more information, visit http://www.aamc.org/overseasfellowship.