Health professions education does not end when clinicians finish medical school or residency. It continues throughout their careers as they learn to apply new evidence, communicate with patients and families, work across teams, adopt emerging technologies and teach the next generation.

In this episode of The Lead in Peds, Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH, speaks with Lanre Falusi, MD, MEd, medical director of advocacy education, and Priti D. Bhansali, MD, MEd, MBA, director of the Children’s Academy of Pediatric Educators and Director of Scholarship and Faculty Development in the Division of Hospital Medicine, both at Children’s National.

Together, they explain what makes health professions education research rigorous and why it matters for patient care. They discuss mentorship, faculty development, advocacy education, social drivers of health and the importance of including patients, families and communities in how training is designed and evaluated.

The conversation also explores simulation as a tool for practicing high-stakes communication and understanding the realities families face, as well as the future of interprofessional learning, community-based education and responsible uses of artificial intelligence. The episode shows how investing in educators, research and protected time can ultimately help healthcare professionals deliver better care for children and families.