Call for med student healthcare curriculum

ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 1 (UPI) -- University of Michigan physicians are proposing changing medical student and resident education to include instruction in how healthcare systems function.

Dr. Matthew M. Davis -- an associate professor at the University of Michigan in Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, Internal Medicine and Public Policy -- found that less than half of U.S. graduating medical students say they received adequate training in understanding healthcare systems and the economics of practicing medicine.

In an article published by the New England Journal of Medicine, Davis, another University of Michigan physician and a medical school graduate propose a common national curriculum national in health policy for medical students and residents.

"Without education in health policy and the healthcare system, physicians are missing critical tools in their professional toolbox," Davis says in a statement.

For example, lead author Dr. Mitesh S. Patel, a 2009 University of Michigan Medical School graduate says as a resident, I routinely care for patients who cannot afford their medications or don't have access to regular medical care.

"These issues have a major impact on the delivery and cost of healthcare. However, they are rarely discussed in educational lectures or during teaching rounds," Patel says.