Many baby boomers were quick to point out that 2024 is not 1968. When students occupied buildings at Columbia University Fifty-six years ago, their goals were at least clear: to end the Vietnam War. Do today's students who camped out at Columbia and a multitude of universities across the United States and disrupted graduation ceremonies want to end the war between Israel and Hamas, or advocate anti-Semitic policies and the destruction of Israel?
The student protesters need much more clarity about their goals. They seem to have forgotten that the war began after Hamas' attack on Israel killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Perhaps they do not understand that one can be an ally to the Palestinians while still advocating for peace, security and self-determination without dehumanizing or stereotyping Israelis and Jews. Likewise, it is possible to be an ally to Israelis while continuing to advocate for peace, security, and self-determination without dehumanizing or stereotyping Palestinians, Muslims, and Arabs.
The differences between ethnicities and races and, just as importantly, between generations – Baby Boomers and Generation Z – extend far beyond politics and ideology. Most college students and many graduate students are Generation Z, that is, people born between 1997 and the early 2010s (there is some debate about where to place the line – 2010, 2011 or 2012). Many will not be able to remember a time before smartphones and social media; hence, Generation Z has also been dubbed the iGeneration. (Generation Alpha, born between the early 2010s and 2024, is the first to fully access technological advances.)
Generation Z constitutes a fifth of the American population. This is the most diverse generation in history in terms of race, gender and sexual orientation. Environmental, social, and governance practices focused on sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are critically important to this generation, colloquially known as “Zoomers.” Generation Z individuals undoubtedly bring unique challenges and opportunities to the field of education and medical training in particular.
As digital natives, Gen Z students have an inherent understanding of technology and use it from a young age for learning, information gathering, and communication. This familiarity with technology suggests that traditional lecture-based teaching may not be as effective. Instead, a transition to more interactive and technology-driven educational methods, such as online platforms, virtual simulations, and digital anatomy tools, may be necessary.
Research shows that Gen Z's attention span is considerably shorter than that of their predecessors – even compared to goldfish – perhaps due to their regular interaction with quick, concise information via social media and other digital platforms. These findings imply that medical education may need to adopt more engaging, brief, and interactive teaching methods.
Gen Z tends to learn visually, preferring images, videos, and infographics over traditional text-heavy media. Medical educators should consider incorporating visual aids and multimedia resources to improve learning retention and understanding.
Authenticity and transparency in all areas, especially in education, are highly valued by Generation Z. They seek real-world relevance in their learning experiences. Medical educators should emphasize the practical application of knowledge, provide opportunities for clinical exposure and hands-on training, and foster open communication and collaboration among students and faculty.
With Generation Z being the most diverse generation to date, the emphasis on inclusion and social justice is welcome in the curriculum. Medical education must reflect this diversity and promote cultural competence, empathy, and awareness of the social determinants of health to prepare future healthcare professionals to effectively serve diverse patient populations.
Generation Z is entrepreneurial and values creativity, innovation and autonomy. Medical education can encourage entrepreneurial thinking by integrating courses on health care innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills development, thereby enabling students to drive positive change in health care delivery and research. Medical schools should strive to establish partnerships with humanities and business departments at their parent universities and integrate selective courses to complement core science courses.
Generation Z students place a high value on personalization and expect their educational experiences to be tailored to their individual interests and career aspirations. This desire for personalization further challenges the traditional structure and standardization of medical training. Therefore, medical schools may need to consider more flexible curricula and individualized learning pathways. The importance of extracurricular and community building activities cannot be overstated.
Another notable characteristic of Generation Z is their higher levels of stress and anxiety compared to previous generations. Factors such as academic pressure, social media use, and contemporary global uncertainties could contribute to these mental health problems. Indeed, the troubling war in the Middle East may be a harbinger of future ethnic conflicts and all the more reason to make mental health resources available to students.
The harsh reality, however, is that Gen Z has already faced stressors such as 9/11, school shootings, climate change and a global pandemic. So, they are more open about mental health issues and seek support to improve your mental wellbeing. Medical education should prioritize promoting student well-being, resilience, and self-care practices, while providing training in mental health assessment, intervention, and destigmatization.
As the war between Israel and Hamas demonstrated, growing up in a connected world means that Generation Z has adopted a global perspective and a special interest in global health issues. Medical education should therefore incorporate global health perspectives, cultural competency training, and opportunities for international experiences to prepare students for the realities of practicing medicine in an interconnected world. Residency programs should prepare physicians for locum tenens assignments to fill staffing shortages in underserved and war-torn areas.
As important as politics are in today's news, the debates and events that will ultimately shape Generation Z are likely still unknown. What seems clear, however, is that significant educational adjustments are needed to meet the unique challenges of this generation considering a career in medicine. These can also be seen as opportunities for innovation and progress.
In summary, adapting medical education to meet the needs and preferences of Generation Z requires innovative approaches that leverage technology, active learning strategies, visual content, authenticity, diversity and of inclusion. By recognizing and responding to the preferences and learning needs of Generation Z, medical schools can improve their training programs and better equip future physicians to meet the changing healthcare landscape. However, if the issues that lead to career dissatisfaction among today's physicians are not addressed, it could be difficult to attract and retain top Gen Z performers.
Arthur Lazarus is an old Doximity Fellow, a member of the editorial board of the American Association for Physician Leadership and assistant professor of psychiatry at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the author of several works on narrative medicine, including Medicine on Fire: a travelogue And Narrative Medicine: Harnessing the Power of Storytelling Through Essays.