The future of medical and nursing education

The last twenty years have seen the development and rise in popularity of Problem Based Learning (PBL) in the UK, Canada and medical schools elsewhere across the globe. So too have nursing courses across the UK embraced Enquiry Based Learning (EBL), a similar self-directed learning technique. Both PBL and EBL are considerably cheaper to operate compared to traditional courses. Nurses and doctors have to learn many similar topics over a broad range of areas, albeit to a different depth. It is suggested here that future course curriculum development may see moves to hold some teaching jointly with both nursing and medical students. The differences between nurses and doctors are vast, and it is not suggested here that nurses should attend all medical lectures, or vice versa, simply that there may be a benefit to holding some teaching jointly.