It is a great privilege to prepare some of the brightest students in the nation to help shape the future of healthcare. It is also a moral obligation. Our institutions both have proud histories in medical leadership.
Founded in 1943, the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine:
• was one of four schools nationwide that Abraham Flexner cited for excellence in his landmark 1910 medical education assessment;
• revolutionized medical training in the 1950s with its Western Reserve curriculum that organized learning by organ systems; and
• drew notice again in recent years with Western Reserve 2, a curriculum that emphasizes small-group learning and population health.
Founded in 2002, the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine:
• offers a unique, five-year program to prepare students to be physician-investigators;
• emphasizes a problem-based approach to learning that includes portfolios and extensive early clinical experience; and
• provides full tuition for each student who enrolls.
Today we have a rare opportunity to write the next chapter of true innovation in medical education. More than 100 people from across our organizations have seized this moment and become part of the 13 planning committees created for this project. As we develop this building together, we also dream: How will healthcare work best in the coming decades? What lessons give our students the greatest chance to lead in this rapidly shifting environment? And what are the most effective ways for them to master that knowledge and those skills?
We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and engagement that stakeholders from both schools have shown already. We look forward to updating you on the efforts of these committees and the way their ideas influence the design of our new home for medical education. We also want to hear from you. Whether you are a part of our community or an interested observer, we know we will benefit from your ideas, observations and questions. Please clink on the “Questions/Comments” tab on the left side of the page to share your thoughts. We will post responses on the most relevant topics throughout this process.
For now, please enjoy this site, and come back often. This effort is moving at a rapid pace, and it will only accelerate in the weeks and months to come.
Sincerely,
