Welcome
Letter From The Editor
We don’t build each issue of HMI WORLD around a common theme, but sometimes those themes emerge on their own. The theme that jumps out in the November-December 2007 issue is outputs.
Around Harvard
H. Tom Aretz, MD
Vice President, Global Programs
Harvard Medical International
Dr. Aretz, a native of Germany, received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed postgraduate training in cardiovascular pathology at the HMS-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. At HMI he is responsible for building programs and alliances focused on medical education at all levels. 
Q: In the past year HMI has begun collaborations with multiple universities seeking to launch medical schools. When HMI is approached by an institution with that goal, what are the first questions that come to mind for you?
Aretz: "What should your ideal graduate look like, and how will that help your region or country?"
Q: What aspects of medical practice would you like to see given more emphasis in undergraduate medical curricula?
Aretz: Management, quality and otherwise, understanding of systems, and the appreciation of concepts and processes from other fields that are germane to medicine.
Q: One of the big trends in health care delivery is the shift to more care being provided in outpatient settings. What’s the impact—or what do you think should be the impact—on medical education?
Aretz: One major impact relates to where you actually train medical studentsand residents. If most patients are seen in that setting, the training needs to take place there. Training in outpatient settings also emphasizes longitudinal care over crisis management.
Q: What are the obstacles to achieving globally recognized standards in medical education?
Aretz: Agreeing on an international body that would be acceptable and accountable, and creating enough leeway to allow for regional specifics. The solution may be the creation of an umbrella organization that would have oversight over the various accrediting agencies.
Q: What do you enjoy most or find most rewarding about your role at HMI?
Aretz: Working with colleagues from around the world who are passionate and share my sense of wonderment, and learning something new every day and seeing results, especially those that were unintended and surprising.
More Featrured Stories
Affiliate Spotlight
The Office for Visitor Education Programs at Massachusetts General Hospital
Briefcase
Quality reading with Dr. Thomas Lee
From the Archives
Emergency medicine training initiative continues in Italy
Around Harvard
Targeting pain management, treating muscle degeneration, and tracking the causes of type 2 diabetes. Also: a look at MRI’s emerging role in breast cancer screening, and other news and research from the Harvard medical community.
