title: The future of medical education: a Canadian environmental scan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One hundred years after the Flexner report remade medical education in North America, many countries are reviewing the purpose and organisation of medical education. In Canada, a national study is being undertaken to define important issues and challenges for the future of medical education. The objectives of this paper are to describe the process of conducting an empirical environmental scan at a national level, and to present the research findings of this scan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty national key informant interviews were conducted, transcribed and coded to identify key themes. Interview data were triangulated with data sourced from 34 commissioned literature reviews and a series of national focus groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten key issues or priorities were identified and used to generate detailed review papers used by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada to create a blueprint for the evolution of medical education. The new priorities have major implications for areas ranging from admissions, curriculum content, educational process and the need to articulate the purpose and responsibilities of medical schools in society.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research provides a case study of how an empirical research approach can be used to identify and validate priorities for changes in medical education at a national level. This approach may be of interest in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Wilson Centre for Research in Education, University Health Network, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. brian.hodges@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arweiler
authors.forename: Spogmai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akseer
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bandiera
authors.forename: Niall
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Charlin
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karazivan
authors.forename: Ayelet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuper
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maniate
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Millette
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Noyeau
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reeves
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003479:Curriculum / Q000639:trends*; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors