The Family Business — To Educate

In the 115th annual Shattuck Lecture, Dr. Ronald Arky, the 2005 speaker, considers the history and science of medical education, discusses its current disjointed state, and calls for a restructuring of continuing medical education. In the 115th annual Shattuck Lecture, Dr. Ronald Arky considers the history and science of medical education, discusses its current disjointed state, and calls for a restructuring of continuing medical education. When the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) was established in 1781, cofounder John Warren explained its purpose to the public. “The design of the above institution,” he wrote, “is to promote medical and surgical knowledge.” Throughout the years, one important mission of the MMS has continued to be the education of its members, as well as all medical professionals; in recent years, that mission has extended beyond the profession to the education of the public. Through its publications and continuing medical education programs, the MMS has promulgated new scientific knowledge that has been incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula. In . . .