Educating future health professionals to keep pace with changing times

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unprecedented amount of stress on the health care system, and even more so on health professionals. It has highlighted the need for well-trained, hard-working, and committed individuals in these roles. Health professionals are trained to address the everyday health care needs of the population and, in special circumstances, respond to global pandemics. These exemplary characteristics of health professionals are initially developed and rooted in their training, commencing in the undergraduate level. At this basic level, students must acquire the foundational knowledge, skills, and experience in preparation for a lifelong commitment to their profession.

Health care is complex and diverse, and each health care profession has unique characteristics. While there are many similarities in services across all health care disciplines, health professionals have different approaches and various roles to perform. For example, medical doctors are trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions and diseases, whereas nurses’ training focuses on the promotion of health, prevention of illness, and the care of patients with varying degrees of illness or disability...