UT System Conference Addresses
Future of Medical Education

More than 70 faculty members and others interested in medical education from throughout Texas participated Oct. 21-22 in the first University of Texas Conference on Innovations in Medical Education on the J.J. Pickle Research Campus of UT Austin.

L. Maximilian Buja, M.D.

"The conference provided a wonderful forum to bring together educators from our UT campuses and other schools in Texas to address the major trends and future directions in medical education," said L. Maximilian Buja, M.D., executive vice president for academic affairs at the UT Health Science Center at Houston. Buja coordinated the conference as a major initiative of his appointment as the Chancellor's Health Fellow for Education for 2004-2005.

In welcoming remarks, Kenneth Shine, M.D., University of Texas System executive vice chancellor UT System Conference Addresses Future of Medical Education for health affairs, charged the participants to think creatively regarding the education of physicians to meet the challenges of delivery of health care in a more coordinated approach based on patient-centered care.

The evaluation of the conference by the participants was strongly positive. "The conference achieved important goals," Buja said. "One was the exchange of information regarding creative approaches to medical education taking place on our campuses. Another was the networking that occurred, setting the stage for future collaborations."

With Shine's support, Buja is organizing a steering committee to build on the momentum of the conference. Top priorities will be to make the conference an annual event and to explore ways for the campuses to share expertise and educational resources.

Major topics were addressed by leaders from each of the four UT medical schools. Buja spoke on "Interdisciplinary/ Interprofessional Education." Other speakers from the UT Medical School at Houston included Philip Orlander, M.D., professor of internal medicine and director of the Division of Endocrinology, on "Curriculum Design: Challenges and Opportunities"; Fabrizia Faustinella, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine, on "Clinical Skills Assessment"; Patricia Butler, M.D., associate dean for educational programs and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, on "Development and Support of Faculty as Medical Educators"; and Gary C. Rosenfeld, Ph.D., assistant dean for educational programs and professor of integrative biology and pharmacology, on "Scholarship of Education."

Buja was assisted in planning the conference by a steering team of leaders in medical education from the six health institutions of the UT System. In addition to those from the UT campuses, participants included faculty members from Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University and Baylor College of Medicine, and staff from the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.