futurescope:

EVMS 2033 Design Fiction

There is no doubt that new tools will radically change medical education and clinical practice in the future. But at EVMS, we believe “high tech” will be balanced with “high touch.” Advanced simulation, self-paced curricula, and team-based learning will prepare medical students with an extensive knowledge base and a high degree of technical proficiency in clinical skills.

The old saying goes, “Practice makes perfect.” But, we know in actuality that only PERFECT practice makes perfect. Medical modeling and simulation technology will allow students to enhance and/or remediate skills as needed. It also will provide a means for assessing students’ mastery with a level of precision impossible to attain through human observation alone.

Electronic health records and networked communications will integrate with heads-up displays that present vital information in the caregiver’s field of view in real time. This convergence of digital resources will facilitate better diagnosis and patient treatment.

Future medical students will train collaboratively with others in the health professions, mirroring the cross-disciplinary approach that will be integral to the clinical environment of the future. Enhanced technology will allow for more efficient referrals, faster consults and more thorough transitions of care, thus improving patient safety and outcomes.

These advances will allow health-care providers to spend more time developing a strong relationship with their patients. After all, there is no substitute for human interaction — learning a patient’s story, understanding her needs, and developing a course of treatment with her that optimizes her health.

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