Academic medicine is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by falling public research funding, the proliferation of alternative modes of scholarly communication, and the influence of artificial intelligence.
"I'd rather discuss addiction with Dax Shephard on 'Armchair Expert' than present at a national meeting if given the option,"
writes Jonathan Avery, highlighting the shift away from traditional models of academic medicine. The old ideal of a physician-researcher supported by NIH grants, publishing in high-impact journals, and climbing the academic ladder is no longer the only path.
These changes are driving a radical democratization of academic medicine, where research is no longer limited to formal, structured, and slow processes.
Author's summary: Academic medicine is changing due to funding and technology shifts.