A specially appointed commission assessed the effect of changes in the health care industry on the provision of medical education in the University of California (UC) system and made recommendations to the University president about how to respond to these changes.

The commission included representatives from over 100 major medical education entities in California, such as medical societies, nursing organizations, health plans, public health agencies and schools, and consumer groups.

Key Results
The commission's recommendations fell under three major areas:

1. Adapting the Education and Training of Physicians to the Emerging Environment.
   • The commission recommended policies to ensure that the University's medical and graduate medical education programs would produce the appropriate number, distribution, and mix of physicians and mid-level practitioners with the requisite knowledge and skills.
2. Ensuring the Appropriateness of the Size, Specialty Composition, and Distribution of the Physician Workforce in California.
   • The commission examined the current and projected number, distribution and mix of allopathic, osteopathic, mid-level, and alternative health care practitioners through the early 21^st century.
3. Adapting the Structure, Governance, and Management of the University System to Best Serve Their Mission of Education, Research, and Patient Care.
   • The recommendations in this category particularly addressed the core competencies the physician workforce would need to meet the present and future health care needs of California.

Funding
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided $50,000 in funding from October 1996 to September 1997 to support the project.