THE PEDIATRICIAN AND THE PUBLIC

THE first communication is from Dr. Lawrence B. Slobody, Director of the Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, and concerns the recent discussion of pediatric education contained in the May and June issues of this column. His comments on the importance of studying and applying scientific educational principles in the teaching of medicine warrant discussion. An aspect of this problem which has been merely hinted at is the question of recognizing teaching ability and teaching effort as well as research as a basis for academic advancement. With this issue we present the first two of three invited communications on the Future of Nursing and Nursing Education. The first two are by Dr. Francis F. Schwentker, Professor of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, and Miss Lulu K. Wolf, Dean of School of Nursing and Professor of Nursing, University of California at Los Angeles. Next month an article by an administrator of a large public health nursing program will complete the series. These communications have been invited in the hope that they will serve as a stimulant to further comment. The discussion on education has been most interesting and helpful. Curriculum, content, research, physical facilities, and other intergral parts of the medical schools are all important.