The document discusses the need to transform health professional education to address current gaps and challenges in global health systems. It emphasizes a third-generation reform that focuses on competency-based, context-specific, and collaborative education methods to ensure health professionals are equipped to provide quality care. Ultimately, the goal is to achieve universal health coverage and equity through comprehensive reforms in health education and collaboration among stakeholders.

1. Health Professionals for a New Century:
Transforming Education to Strengthen
Health Systems in an Interdependent World

2. Background:
• The 1910 Flexner report was a landmark study that revolutionized
health professional education. It emphasized the integration of
modern science into curricula, leading to significant reforms.
• These reforms played a crucial role in the doubling of the average
lifespan during the 20th century.
• Despite these accomplishments, the current state of health systems
reveals persistent gaps, inequities, and emerging health challenges.

3. Issues in Professional Education:
• Issues in Professional Education:
• Fragmented, outdated, and static curricula: Traditional curricula often fail to keep pace with evolving
healthcare needs, leading to graduates who lack essential skills and knowledge.
• Mismatch of competencies to needs: Health professionals may not possess the necessary skills and
competencies required to address the specific health challenges of populations.
• Poor teamwork and gender stratification: Collaboration and teamwork among healthcare professionals are
crucial for effective healthcare delivery, but hierarchical structures and gender disparities can hinder this
collaboration.
• Narrow technical focus and episodic care: Many health professional education programs emphasize technical
skills without adequately addressing the broader social, cultural, and contextual factors influencing health.
• Imbalances in the labor market: The distribution of health professionals is often skewed, with shortages in
some areas and oversupply in others, exacerbating disparities in access to care.
• Weak leadership: Inadequate leadership and governance hinder improvements in health system performance
and the quality of healthcare delivery.

4. Importance of Redesign:
• Global learning and interdependence
• Flow of knowledge, technologies, and financing
• Migration of professionals and patients
• Need for a shared vision and a common strategy

5. Commission's Approach:
• Global outlook, multiprofessional perspective, and systems approach
• Connections between education and health systems
• People as co-producers and drivers of needs and demands

6. Major Findings:
• Worldwide medical, public health, and nursing education
• Severe institutional shortages and maldistribution
• Imbalances in medical school numbers

7. Global Expenditure:
• Health professional education is a significant investment, with an
estimated expenditure of $100 billion per year globally.
• However, there are disparities in investment between countries,
which can contribute to variations in the quality and availability of
health professionals.

8. Weaknesses in Stewardship and Learning Systems:
• Stewardship and accreditation of health professional education vary
across different regions and institutions, leading to uneven quality.
• Learning systems, including teaching methods, assessment practices,
and faculty development, may also be weak, hindering the delivery of
high-quality education.

9. Reforms of the Past Century:
• The first-generation reforms, inspired by the Flexner report,
introduced science-based curricula in health professional education.
• Second-generation reforms focused on problem-based instructional
innovations, emphasizing clinical reasoning and practical skills.
• The current need is for a third-generation reform, which takes a
systems-based approach to address the complex challenges of
modern healthcare.

10. Vision for Third-Generation Reforms:
• Education to mobilize knowledge and engage in critical reasoning:
Health professionals should be equipped with the ability to acquire,
evaluate, and apply knowledge in dynamic healthcare environments.
• Competence to participate in patient and population-centered health
systems: Education should foster skills in interprofessional collaboration,
patient-centered care, and addressing population health needs.
• Members of locally responsive and globally connected teams: Health
professionals should be prepared to work in teams that are responsive
to local healthcare contexts while leveraging global knowledge and best
practices.

11. Ultimate Purpose:
• The ultimate goal of transforming health professional education is to
achieve universal coverage of high-quality comprehensive services.
• This transformation aims to advance health equity, ensuring that all
individuals, regardless of their background or location, have access to
the same level of care.

12. Realization of the Vision:
• Instructional and institutional strategies: Reforms should focus on
innovative teaching methods, such as problem-based learning,
simulation, and experiential learning, to bridge the gap between theory
and practice.
• Adapting core professional competencies to specific contexts: Health
professional education should be tailored to address the unique
healthcare needs, cultural norms, and social determinants of health in
different regions.
• Drawing on global knowledge: Collaboration and partnerships with
international institutions and experts can help integrate global best
practices and evidence into local education systems.

13. Innovations and Reforms:
• There are various innovative initiatives being implemented to reform
health professional education. These include competency-based
education, interprofessional education, and technology-enhanced
learning.
• Robust evidence is crucial in evaluating the effectiveness of these
innovations and determining the best practices for implementation.

14. Collaboration and Partnerships:
• Collaboration among health professionals and institutions is crucial
for advancing reforms in health professional education.
• Partnerships between educational institutions, healthcare
organizations, policymakers, and professional associations can
facilitate knowledge exchange, resource sharing, and promote a
cohesive approach to education.

15. Policy Implications:
• Reforms in health professional education require supportive policies
at both national and global levels.
• Policy changes may involve allocating resources to education,
incentivizing interdisciplinary collaboration, and promoting
continuous professional development.

16. Leadership and Governance:
• Strong leadership and effective governance are essential for driving
and sustaining reforms in health professional education.
• Overcoming tribalism, which refers to professional divisions and
competition, is crucial to promote collaboration and interprofessional
teamwork.

17. Monitoring and Evaluation:
• Establishing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks is
essential to assess the impact of reforms in health professional
education.
• Regular evaluation helps identify areas for improvement, measure
outcomes, and ensure the effectiveness of educational interventions.

18. International Cooperation:
• International cooperation plays a vital role in addressing global health
challenges and advancing health professional education.
• Collaboration among countries, institutions, and professionals
facilitates knowledge sharing, capacity building, and the development
of common standards.

19. Conclusion:
• Redesigning professional health education is crucial to address the
challenges of the 21st century healthcare landscape.
• By transforming education, we can strengthen health systems, ensure
universal coverage, and promote health equity worldwide.