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Macy Conferences
MOST RECENT Conference
Macy Conferences
About Our Conferences
Overview
Every one to two years, the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation convenes diverse leaders and learners in health professions education, health care, policy, and research to examine critical issues in health professions education (HPE) and clinical learning environments. Conference participants—invited for their relevant expertise—participate in rigorous discussions, examine commissioned papers, and craft recommendations. The important discussions and consensus recommendations are captured and made widely available through a variety of resources and materials, including special issues of Academic Medicine, conference proceedings and recommendations reports, blog posts, webinars, and podcasts.
A Legacy of Convening Since 1931
Since 1931, Macy conferences have served as influential forums for advancing ideas, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and addressing the evolving needs of health care and society.
1931
The First Macy Conference
The Foundation convened its first conference focused on the educational needs of professional social workers.
1940s
Sharing Wartime Medical Innovations
During World War II, Macy conferences addressed urgent medical challenges, including wound care, traumatic shock, liver injuries, and war-related psychiatric disorders. Conference discussions led to new research collaborations, improved military screening procedures, and broader dissemination of medical innovations developed during the war.
1946-1953
The Cybernetics Conferences
A groundbreaking series of interdisciplinary conferences brought together experts from various specialties to explore the emerging science of cybernetics which helped shape an entirely new field of research and establish Macy conferences as influential platforms for interdisciplinary collaboration.
1965-1980
Advancing Medical Education and Equity
Under President John Z. Bowers, the conference program was revitalized with a focus on medical education, workforce development, and social issues affecting health care. The Macy conferences helped drive national conversations about women in medicine, minority representation in health professions, and the evolving educational needs of the health care workforce.
1987-1996
Addressing Emerging Health Care Challenges
With a focus on contemporary issues in health care delivery and physician training, conference recommendations influenced future national studies and policy discussions on emergency medicine, substance abuse education, and physician workforce development.
1997-2008
Transforming Health Professions Education
Conferences explored the implications of genetics in health professions education, emphasized the importance of interprofessional collaboration between health professionals, increasing diversity in health professions, and improving care for underserved populations.
2008-Present
Preparing Health Professionals for a Changing Health Care System
The Macy Conferences continues to focus on advancing the education and training of health professionals by convening every 1-2 years, addressing immediate challenges in health professions education, such as the 2021 conference on COVID-19 and the Impact on Medical and Nursing Education and the 2024 conference on Artificial Intelligence and Medical Education.