Editorial: A Global Platform for Innovations in Health Professions Education

Strengthening health systems and building capacity through effective workforce development and health professional education are the cornerstones for improving global health. Since the Lancet Commission’s 2010 landmark report1, “Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world,” there has been a groundswell of excitement and activities among health professions educators to carry the momentum forward. Notable major recommendations in the Commission’s report validated the needs for a global outlook, alignment with healthcare delivery, an inclusive multi-professional/trans-professional orientation, a systems-based approach, and new instructional and institutional strategies. A broad receptivity worldwide for such a paradigm-changing approach to health professions education has been facilitated by general dissatisfaction with current healthcare and education globally. There remains a chasm between skill sets needed for providing high quality healthcare and the current fragmented and outdated curricula of health professional education.