Open letter to the leaders of academic medicine

We are not sure who you are. Unsubstantiated rumours suggest that you may not exist at all. We wonder where academic medicine is getting its lead from. Is it some of the many serious scientists, clinicians,
and educators? Is it people with illnesses, those who wish to remain healthy, or society at large? Is it political leaders of uncompromising principles and vision? Is it selfless benefactors and visionary entrepreneurs? Or is it self interested compromisers
carrying embellished titles acquired through anything but merit? Maybe it’s corporate industry escorting academic
medicine to the dance tonight?
You might ask who we are. We are participants in the International Campaign to Revitalise Academic Medicine, a group of mostly young academics from around the world who feel that academic medicine needs reinvention (box). We have gathered evidence systematically, consulted and debated globally, and given thought to how the future might look. Here is what we think.