Eye on the Prize: Patient Outcomes Research in Medical Education

Abstract

The overarching goal of medical education is to train clinicians who achieve and maintain competence in patient care. Although the field of medical education research has acknowledged the importance of education on clinical practices and outcomes, most research endeavors continue to focus on learner-centered outcomes, such as knowledge and attitudes. The absence of clinical and patient-centered outcomes in pulmonary and critical care medicine medical education research has been attributed to barriers at multiple levels, including financial, methodological, and practical considerations. This Perspective explores clinical outcomes relevant to pulmonary and critical care medicine educational research and offers strategies and solutions that educators can use to accomplish what many consider the “prize” of medical education research: an understanding of how our educational initiatives impact the health of patients.