Medical education in the United States is undergoing its first major expansion in 30 years, and many health care leaders are calling for revision of the physician training model so it will meet the unique and distinctive health issues of the 21st century.
At the heart of this discussion is the issue of diversity in medical education, and no issue is more important. The definition of diversity here is 2-fold. It means matriculating medical school students that reflect America's many ethnic and cultural communities and providing all students training that encompasses the diverse perspectives and needs of our broader society. A medical school education that trains physicians to provide effective, efficient, patient-centered care to our increasingly multicultural citizenry is a critical step in transforming our health care system.