Systems-Based Practice in Graduate Medical Education
Evolving Toward an Ideal Future State
Bibliographic Data
Systems-based practice (SBP) was first introduced as a core competency in graduate medical education (GME) in 2002 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education as part of the Outcomes Project. While inclusion of SBP content in GME has become increasingly common, there have also been well-documented stumbling blocks, including perceptions that SBP has eroded the amount of curricular time available for more medically focused competencies, is not relevant for some practice contexts, and is not introduced early enough in training. As a result, SBP learning experiences often feel disconnected from medical trainees’ practical reality. In this commentary, the authors provide guidance regarding potential changes that may facilitate the evolution of SBP toward an ideal future state where graduates bring a systems science mindset to all aspects of their work. Specific suggestions include the following: (1) expanding the SBP toolbox to reflect current-day health system needs, (2) evolve the teaching methodology, (3) broadening the scope of relevant SBP content areas, and (4) emphasizing SBP as an integrated responsibility for all health care team members. Levers to enact this transformation exist and must be used to influence change at the learner, faculty, program, and clinical learning environment levels. Physicians operate within an increasingly complex health care system that highlights the intersection of health care with complex social, environmental, and relational contexts. Consequently, the role of SBP in both physician work responsibilities and educational requirements continues to expand. To meet this growing demand, GME must adapt how it supports and trains the next generation of systems thinkers, ensuring they understand how levers in the health care system directly affect health outcomes for their patients, and integrate SBP into the foundation of GME curricula in an inclusive, holistic, and unrestrained way
Accreditation · Certification · Curriculum · Engineering ethics · Graduate medical education · Health care · Medical education · Mindset · Pedagogy · Political science · Scope of practice · Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills · Computer Science · Engineering · Health and Medical Research Impacts · Innovations in Medical Education · Medicine · Psychology
The challenge of complexity in health care
Reconsidering Systems-Based Practice
Health Systems Science in Medical Education
Intrinsic or Invisible? An Audit of CanMeds Roles in Entrustable Professional Activities
Student-Run Free Clinics Stand at a Critical Junction Between Undergraduate Medical Education, Clinical Care, and Advocacy
Building the Bridge to Quality
How Medical Educators Can Foster Equity and Inclusion in Their Teaching
Evolving the Systems-Based Practice Competency in Graduate Medical Education to Meet Patient Needs in the 21st-Century Health Care System
Planetary health and sustainability teaching in UK medical education
The Association of American Medical Colleges
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |