Rebekah Bernard MD and Niran Al-Agba MD |

Many of our podcasts have focused on concerns about the deterioration of nurse practitioner training, with an increase in for-profit schools that compete fiercely for student tuition dollars. These programs often boast 100% acceptance rates -in other words, anyone who applies is accepted. Students who attend programs like these complain about sub-par education including open-book tests that leave graduates inadequately prepared to care for patients.

The rise of these diploma mills has led many to call for reforms to the NP educational process. What many people do not realize is that the medical profession also faced serious reforms in its educational process following the release of the Flexner report which outlined problems in the training of physicians back in 1910. Today I am joined by Dr. John Lafferty to discuss the Flexner report and the importance of standardizing education for medical professionals.  Dr. Lafferty is an obstetrician-gynecologist with a special interest in the history of medical education.

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