Resource stewardship in Canadian undergraduate medical education

Abstract

New research suggests Canadian physicians order more than 1,000,000 potentially unnecessary tests and treatments each year. Strategies to educate medical students about the CanMEDs Resource Stewardship directive and judicious testing practices can help the healthcare system manage fiscal stress and improve healthcare experiences for patients. This article outlines several strategies that can be implemented at the undergraduate medical education level through Choosing Wisely Canada’s Students and Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship (STARS) program. The educational strategies feature group-based learning, lecture integration, and supportive online modules. Educating medical students across the country about judicious testing can produce the generation of resource-conscientious doctors that healthcare’s increasingly tight budget demands.