Ian Murchie Thompson, Jr, MD, GME Physician Leader

Ian Murchie Thompson, Jr, MD

Current position

Professor and Chair, Gary and Glenda Woods Distinguished Chair of Genitourinary Oncology, Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Education

• BS, US Military Academy, West Point
• MD, Tulane University
• Residency in Urology, Brooke Army Medical Center
• Fellowship, Urologic Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY

Special area(s) of clinical/research/educational interest

• Education (Chair, Residency Review Committee for Urology)
• Urologic oncology: Prostate Cancer Prevention (Principal Investigator, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, National Cancer Institute)
• Early cancer detection (Vice Chair, the Early Detection Research Network, National Cancer Institute)

Why are you a program director/DIO/leader in GME?

It is wonderful to see the very high standards that we set for the education of young physicians. I have had the opportunity to serve on the Residency Review Committee for Urology for a number of years as well as just having stepped down as the program director here at UTHSCSA.

What are the most important issues today in GME?

The current system of GME financing creates an inherent conflict of interest. We are focusing on improving the educational aspects of GME, yet we are linked to hospital-based reimbursement, a system that has intrinsic goals of service at specific institutions. I hope that, with time, GME financing becomes more logical. That said, our GME system is the envy of the world. (Perhaps it's like what Churchill said about democracy: "It is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried.")

If you only had a minute, what advice would you give to a physician in training?

Use what you have learned in epidemiology and biostatistics (also referred to as "evidence-based medicine") to constantly critique what we accept as medical dogma. Look in a textbook of your specialty from 30 years ago and see what was dogma then. Imagine how a person 30 years from now will look at our current texts. The advances over the next 30 years will be due to young physicians and scientists asking those very critical and open-minded questions.

What advice do you have for aspiring GME leaders?

Just remember why we are here: Second priority — education of our students. First priority — the very best care for our patients. Everything else is tenth priority.

Personal

Lovely wife Donna, young son who is currently applying for a urology residency (third generation), and daughter who's the apple of her Dad's eye.