Can We Solve the Lifelong Learning Crisis In Medicine?

From Burnout to Resilience: In Search of the Heart of Medical Education

In a world of accelerating and disruptive change, there are few things that are likely to remain untouched within the house of medicine. The face of healthcare today will be unrecognizable to the next cohort of physicians on the near horizon. Yet there remain some persistent truths I hope will continue to sustain us and live in the hearts of physicians for generations to come. Here is the one I hold dear:

“That we are inspired to learn because what we learn has the potential to help others.”

This foundational truth of our profession is my daily pilgrimage, and my life’s journey as a physician educator. I see it humbly embodied year after year in my dedicated colleagues. I see it in the next generation of physicians who train side by side with me; who return day after day to the bedside in an effort to translate their new knowledge into patient care. And for those who know me, it’s an open secret that I often draw my inspiration to be a better doctor from those I work with.

Sadly, I’ve also been forced to realize that our desire to learn in the service of helping others is not an immutable truth. Although resilient, it’s a desire that can be bruised…