The future of medical education: a call for action.

The challenge of building new medical schools or expanding the class size of current ones is a lengthy and costly enterprise. That reality argues for the creation of a national vision about how to proceed and what to prioritize, a vision that could serve as a map for public and private officials considering further investment in medical education. A national commission funded by one or several health philanthropies is suggested as an expeditious vehicle to focus this discussion and move the debate forward. Instructive educational innovations in osteopathic and nursing education are suggested as germane to the deliberations of a national commission, as are creative means of student funding.