New policy encourages EHR training in med schools, residency programs

CHICAGO — Addressing concerns that many medical students and residents lack sufficient training in their medical school and residency program electronic health record (EHR) systems, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted policy at its Annual Meeting aimed at ensuring that medical students receive quality clinical documentation experience using EHRs. The new policy builds on the AMA’s efforts over the last five years to transform medical education and ensure future physicians are prepared to meet the needs of patients in the modern health system.

“Unfortunately, despite a growing awareness within the medical education community that medical students and residents need to learn how to ensure quality clinical documentation within an electronic health record, some institutions continue to restrict access to the EHR due to a variety of concerns,” said AMA Board Member and medical student Karthik V. Sarma, M.S. “There is a clear need for medical students to have access to — and learn how to properly use — EHRs well before they enter practice. That’s why, even as we continue to work to improve EHR usability for all physicians and physicians-in-training, we’ve been working over the last five years with medical schools across the country to ensure our future physicians are better equipped to provide care in a practice environment of rapid progress, new technology, and changing expectations both from government and society — directly impacting the way health care is delivered nationwide.”