Each November, leaders in academic medicine come together for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Annual Meeting—known as Learn Serve Lead—a gathering that feels equal parts reunion, think tank, and call to action. This year in San Antonio, Texas, those feelings were palpable. The conversations in the halls and the packed session rooms all pointed to one reality: academic medicine is changing fast, and it’s never been more collaborative, data-informed, or learner-focused.
For Elentra, the event was both energizing and affirming. The topics that filled the agenda—curricular redesign, assessment reform, competency-based education, analytics, and technology integration—mirror the very challenges we help institutions tackle every day.
Rethinking Curriculum for a New Era
A strong theme running throughout the meeting was the reinvention of the medical curriculum. Schools are rethinking not only what they teach but how they connect it—creating more seamless transitions between learning foundational medical knowledge and clinical exposure in Undergraduate Medical Education (UME), and health systems-based practice at the Graduate Medical Education (GME) level.
Curriculum renewal is now a continuous process, not a once-a-decade overhaul. Many presenters spoke about the need to maintain alignment between objectives, teaching methods, and measurable outcomes, especially in the context of accreditation and institutional quality improvement.
Those conversations hit close to home. Elentra’s curriculum management tools are built to give schools that alignment at their fingertips—making it easier to see connections, identify gaps, and keep programs evolving alongside the profession.
Assessment as a Driver of Learning
Assessment innovation often took center stage, with institutions moving beyond grades and checkboxes toward feedback that drives learning. Educators shared models for narrative assessment, multi-source input, and formative evaluation that fosters self-reflection and growth.
The trend toward longitudinal, data-rich views of learner progress fits perfectly with Elentra’s assessment and analytics capabilities, which bring all that information together in one place. The goal isn’t just better reporting—it’s creating an ecosystem where learners, instructors, and administrators can act on meaningful insights in real time.
Competency Education in Focus
Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) has been a recurring topic for years, but this year’s discussions made it clear that the field has entered a new phase. Schools are talking less about why to adopt CBME and more about how to operationalize it.
Workshops on topics such as the Foundational Competencies for Undergraduate Medical Education (a joint initiative of the AAMC, AACOM, and ACGME), Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), and culture change underscored the importance of integrated systems that can visualize progress across milestones. It’s a space where Elentra’s support for CBE / CBME—supporting custom frameworks, assessments, and dashboards—helps programs move from pilot to practice.
Turning Data Into Decisions
Data and analytics were everywhere this year, woven into conversations about accreditation, equity, curriculum design, and workforce planning. Schools are learning to connect the dots between assessment results, curricular goals, and learner outcomes.
The appetite for actionable data is growing, and with it, the need for unified platforms that make institutional insight easier. That’s where Elentra’s analytics come in—helping programs turn raw data into stories that guide improvement and demonstrate impact.
A Focus on Well-Being and Support
The conversations around well-being and remediation struck a thoughtful chord. Schools are reframing how they approach learner support—not as a corrective process, but as an integrated part of professional development.
Sessions on topics like remediation and the need to embrace failure reminded everyone that success in medical education depends as much on compassionate systems as it does on individual effort. Elentra’s ability to bring together feedback, performance data, and mentorship tools can help institutions create that connected, supportive experience.
Technology Integration Takes Center Stage
One of the clearest signals from this year’s meeting was that technology integration is no longer optional. Institutions want systems that talk to each other and processes that reduce friction for faculty and learners alike.
From curriculum mapping to assessment and analytics, integration was the buzzword. At Elentra, we’ve long shared that vision—building a platform that unites core educational functions rather than scattering them across disconnected tools.
The Expanding Role of AI
Artificial intelligence was impossible to ignore this year—and rightly so. Across multiple sessions, educators explored both its promise and its pitfalls: how AI might personalize learning, automate routine assessment tasks, and reshape research, while also demanding careful attention to ethics, bias, and human connection.
The conversation has moved past theory into practical implementation. Schools are preparing faculty and students alike to use AI responsibly and reflectively. For Elentra, this evolution underscores the value of open data frameworks and thoughtful integration—ensuring that as AI tools emerge, institutions remain in control of how they’re used and what insights they generate.
Looking Ahead
If there was one unifying message from Learn Serve Lead 2025, it was that the work ahead is not about adding more systems—it’s about connecting the right ones. Curriculum, assessment, and analytics can no longer live in separate silos. They must form a single, coherent ecosystem that supports both learning and leadership.
We left San Antonio encouraged. The priorities we heard from deans, faculty, and educational leaders align perfectly with the direction Elentra is already heading. The future of academic medicine will be defined by integration, evidence, and empathy—and we’re proud to be helping our partners turn those ideas into impact.
We’re proud to partner with health professions schools that are translating ideas into action and making measurable impact across teaching, learning, and care. If you’d like to explore how our platform can support your institution’s transformation—whether it’s curriculum redesign, competency-based assessment, integrated analytics, or learner support—contact us today.