Simple Modifications of the Current Curriculum To Enhance Educational Experience

• Changes in medical practice and in the financing of hospital care have resulted in a narrowing spectrum of adult medical illness among hospitalized patients. Res-idency training based primarily in the hospital under-emphasizes many diseases and disorders that are treated exclusively at ambulatory sites. Curriculum modifications should allow for increased training time for residents in the ambulatory care setting. Reducing clinical inpatient service demands on residents and alleviating the attendant stress will allow more time for such educational experiences. The Medical College of Virginia has had recent experience with three modifica-tions to the curriculum, which are intended to accom-plish these ends: a specialized unit for inpatient serv-ices, which is not staffed by interns; a reorganization of the daily inpatient care schedule; and a modified "night float " team