Academic medicine has a critical role in consumer health care. Patients can thank academic medicine for research leading to improved health care, education of medical professionals, and leadership in patient care, research, and education. But times have changed. The growing disincentives to participate in academic medicine and demanding financial, political, demographic, consumer, and technology trends are cause for concern. If academic medicine is to remain a leading player in the business of health, it has to do better.

I applaud the International Campaign to Revitalise Academic Medicine for prompting strategic introspection and global action.1 Patients have had an integral role in the campaign …