Students are the future of health policy: Let ’s start treating them like it

The media is quick to point out the important role of American Medical Association (AMA) and other professional bodies in shaping the future of health policy in the United States. While these organizations have a certain responsibility, it is becoming increasing clear that medical and public health students will shape the future of post-Obama health care landscape. Recognizing their role is pertinent. While physician members from AMA are the practitioners of the health care, it is the students in lecture halls around the country that are vital for the formulation as well as the execution of health care policies. It is essential, therefore, that students are provided ample space and opportunity to exercise policy skills. It is also important that instruction in policy analysis is derived from evidence from rigorous experiments and non-partisan think tanks. In the NEJM perspective, President Obama underscored a crucial point: “What the past eight years have taught us is that health care reform requires an evidence-based, careful approach, driven by what is best for the American people.” The past few years have pointed in a troubling direction: Just as hyper-partisanship led to obstruction of proper implementation of the ACA, there was hyper-partisanship to obstruct the modifications that were required to make ACA more robust and future-proof. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Policy Health reform Source Type: blogs