Disruptions in Medicine: Impact on Specialist Training

Abstract

‘Disruption’ is a term that has been used in business sectors to describe a process in which an underrated product or service starts to become popular enough to replace, or displace, a conventional product or service. Disruptions in medicine often refer to events or processes that cause us to change the way we practice. They include changes in the population demographic, disease epidemiology, climate, needs of the community, technologies and the medical workforce. These will need to be taken into account when developing a training curriculum for medical specialists. The world over is facing an ageing population, some of whom may remain single or childless with heavy reliance on public social and health support. A more patient-oriented approach in the management of the aged is needed in the future. Besides, as we become more prosperous, non-communicable diseases are becoming the major health burden on the society. Training of future specialists therefore needs to cater for these changes. In addition, with rapid advances in medical technologies, not only do future clinicians need to become life-long leaners but they also need to have a better understanding of medical ethics and law. Changes in the climate are often overlooked by those who develop the medical curriculum. Both natural and man-made disasters may have significant impact on the health of the society. Not only may such ‘disasters’ cause physical injuries but also psychosocial stresses and increased risk of communicable diseases. Future clinicians need to be prepared and be able to respond to such events! Finally, the wellbeing of the medical workforce is increasingly becoming a major concern in the healthcare system. Early- or mid-career is often the time of greatest stress and burnout, and poses an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Much needs to be done to enable early detection of and support for colleagues with psychological stresses!