Earlier reports and studies have endorsed the consortia concept as a vehicle for reorganizing medical education and restructuring the physician workforce. This report by the Council on Graduate Medical Education, which serves in an advisory capacity to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and to Congress, concurs in this assessment. In support, the report reviews the background of the consortia concept, noting that there is no common operative description that defines current medical education consortia. To sort out the many variations, the Council surveyed several current consortia, collecting and analyzing data on how they perceive themselves, and on their organizational and administrative structures. The report examines and tabulates data on key attributes (mission/membership, governance/authority, administration/management, and medical education programs); measures outcome (educational enhancement, workforce reform, improved administration); takes note of barriers to success (market competition, financial constraints); probes weaknesses; offers a vision of an idealized model; and advocates the funding of several demonstration projects. The report reiterates support of consortia-run medical schools, teaching hospitals and community training sites; and calls for a "shared responsibility" approach to funding graduate medical education; development of national standards for education consortia, and health care reimbursement incentives that promote consortia development. (Contains 160 references.) (JLS)