TheMillennials inMedicine: Tips for Teaching the Next Generation of Physicians

A new generation of men and women, the Millennials, are entering our residency programs and these young physicians learn andwork inways that are remarkably different than the cohorts of the past three generations. Therefore, it is important to have an understanding of the general characteristics of the Millennials and the other three generations because the differences, particularly in regard to theMillennials, will have a significant impact on both the delivery of health care and how the different generations interact within academic medical organizations. Next, one must then learn how to maximize the teaching and learning environment for the Millennials in our residency programs. While it is important to understand the qualities of all four generations, one must keep in mind that not all individuals of a generation have precisely the same characteristics and many individual qualities are the result of parenting styles. There are currently four generations in the workforce: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, andMillennials. The Traditionalists, also known as the “silent generation,” were born between 1925 and 1945. Typically, they are all work and no play doctors. They are the Professor Emeriti and senior faculty members, who have wisdom, a strong work ethic, and loyalty to their jobs; you can count on them. However, they may lack knowledge of the latest technological advances and are often perceived as too formal. Next, the Baby Boomers, born after WorldWar II (between 1946 and 1964), are generally the midlevel and senior faculty members, often the leaders in our departments. The Baby Boomers are considered workaholics who are extremely dedicated, ambitious, idealistic, and competitive. Their careers often define them and provide their identity. Therefore,