Aiming to more closely align medical education and training with changes taking place in healthcare, the American Medical Association has formed a closer collaboration with the Association of American Medical Colleges. The initiative, announced Saturday during the opening of the AMA's five-day annual meeting in Chicago, will enable the two organizations to share data and staff resources on topics related to medical students, academic institutions and practicing physicians. The AMA, with about 244,500 members, is the nation's largest doctors' group, while the AAMC represents all 125 accredited medical schools in the U.S.
"The AAMC believes that rapid changes in medicine and healthcare require fundamental changes in the way we train and prepare physicians," said Jordan Cohen, M.D., the AAMC's president. "This agreement with the AMA sends a message to the public -- as well as members of the medical profession -- that our associations will work together to foster the educational innovations necessary to accomplish that goal." -- by Michael Romano
