Graduate Medical Education Re[Think] Re[Claim] Re[Design] Re[Create]

Book excerpt: Graduate Medical Education needs a stress test now to improve and enhance the health and well-being of its community members. As a member of the GME community for a decade, I found that no matter where in the U.S. I worked or in which specialty I was overseeing, I encountered the same barriers to the foundation of GME, the same challenges faced by trainees, and the same threats to members' health and well-being. After a decade in the GME community, I felt compelled to formally analyze its challenges and devise improvements for its processes, practices, structure, and oversight, from medical school candidates for residency to accreditation to the GME Office to residency and fellowship programs and their learning environments. Professional, successful, knowledgeable GME administrators are seeking safer, less stressful, and more rewarding positions outside the GME community. Practicing physicians are experiencing violence in their workplaces. More alarming, medical students, residents, fellows, and practicing physicians exhibit and share their suicidal ideation. I hope my readers will feel and respond to my sense of urgency for transforming the GME community's challenges into enhancements and improvements. This book is my call to action for all members of this community as well as to the general public who may be or may become patients seeking medical treatment. I have shared experiences I encountered as examples that illuminate areas that need immediate correction. These are concrete problems and issues pervasive in the GME community. I have included scientific support and metrics for readers to examine and contemplate. I have revealed the realities of working in the GME community to bring attention to the current, continual challenges its members face daily. I sincerely hope readers will become advocates for change to improve the culture of the GME community by: Promoting transparency within GME. Developing strategies to improve the culture of the GME community. Enhancing wellness in medical school and residencies. Improving the medical school and trainee learning environments. Aiding residency candidates in navigation through recruitment and fostering understanding of their role in GME. Assisting residency candidates in the transition to residency. Encouraging programs to strive to be more successful. Assisting residents and fellows to succeed in GME and be prepared for a career transition to practice. Acknowledging the connection between failing programs and lack of training for administrative staff. Changing the current perception of the residency coordinator role to one of administrative director, supervisor, or manager. And also: Trainee Career Transition: Topics include negotiating a contract, interview questions, professional identity formation, marketing your practice, and building referrals. Medical Students: Topics include a behind-the-scenes look at the Match and ERAS from the program point of view, learning what programs look for in a personal statement, get interview questions, and how to be successful during residency.