The Partners Physician Education Strategic Planning “GME 2015 Task Force” described a vision where Partners trainees not only achieve excellence as clinicians, but also gain an “added value,” based on
their talent, motivation, and access to outstanding faculty and other resources. This additional dimension will stem from an individualized educational experience, and will help to prepare and position Partners trainees for leadership in all areas of medicine and health care. One key vehicle for realizing this vision
will be the Partners Centers of Expertise.Many residents and fellows are drawn toward certain themes that cut across the specialties of medicine: patient care quality and safety, global health/care of underserved populations, health care management, health policy, medical education, public health and preventive medicine, biomedical research, etc. These important areas are, for some trainees, a source of inspiration and excitement that may even come
to define their future career--but in a practical sense they can't be covered in any depth in the specialty-based GME curricula. The virtual Centers of Expertise will each focus on a thematic area of enrichment for trainees, and will offer: access to senior faculty with deep experience in the thematic
area for advice and mentoring; reading materials, carefully selected by faculty, and available on-line; invitation to lectures, workshops and/or other educational events (such as journal clubs and grand rounds); opportunities to participate in specially designed elective experiences of variable length and intensity; membership in a community of colleagues across specialties and at varying stages of their careers, with a shared interest and common purpose.More information about other Centers of Expertise will be coming over the next few months. As always, your suggestions and comments are most welcome.