ABSTRACT
The American Medical Association's current president, an ASIM pioneer, talks about his long road of service in the medical community and his vision of the future for the AMA and all physicians.
Subject(s)
American Medical Association/organization & administration , Forecasting , Health Policy/trends , United StatesABSTRACT
Medical ethics, medical jurisprudence, and medical economics are recognized as important components of a medical school curriculum. These subjects were introduced through a course given at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine. Four aspects of the format and content of the course were instrumental to its success. Teaching principles of medical ethics within the context of jurisprudence and economics permitted the students to gain an understanding of the institutions and processes that act as positive and negative constraints on physicians' clinical and professional behavior. The course was offered during the fourth year following required clinical rotations so that all aspects of the course could be based on the clinical experiences of the students. It was presented in a continuing medical education format away from the normal teaching environment of first- and second-year classrooms and third-year clerkships. Finally, the course was designed by a multidisciplinary, multidepartmental planning group that included students.
