Community-based distributive medical education: Advantaging society

This paper presents a narrative summary of an increasingly important trend in medical education by addressing the merits of community-based distributive medical education (CBDME). This is a relatively new and compelling model for teaching and training physicians in a manner that may better meet societal needs and expectations. Issues and trends regarding the growing shortage and imbalanced distribution of physicians in the USA are addressed, including the role of international medical graduates. A historical overview of costs and funding sources for medical education is presented, as well as initiatives to increase the training and placement of physicians cost-effectively through new and expanded medical schools, two- and four-year regional or branch campuses and CBDME. Our research confirms that although medical schools have responded to Association of American Medical Colleges calls for higher student enrollment and societal concerns about the distribution and placement of physicians, significant opportunities for improvement remain. Finally, the authors recommend further research be conducted to guide policy on incentives for physicians to locate in underserved communities, and determine the cost-effectiveness of the CBDME model in both the near and long terms

Evaluation of a task-based community oriented teaching model in family medicine for undergraduate medical students in Iraq

BACKGROUND: The inclusion of family medicine in medical school curricula is essential for producing competent general practitioners. The aim of this study is to evaluate a task-based, community oriented teaching model of family medicine for undergraduate students in Iraqi medical schools. METHODS: An innovative training model in family medicine was developed based upon tasks regularly performed by family physicians providing health care services at the Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) in Mosul, Iraq. Participants were medical students enrolled in their final clinical year. Students were assigned to one of two groups. The implementation group (28 students) was exposed to the experimental model and the control group (56 students) received the standard teaching curriculum. The study took place at the Mosul College of Medicine and at the Al-Hadba PHCC in Mosul, Iraq, during the academic year 1999–2000. Pre- and post-exposure evaluations comparing the intervention group with the control group were conducted using a variety of assessment tools. RESULTS: The primary endpoints were improvement in knowledge of family medicine and development of essential performance skills. Results showed that the implementation group experienced a significant increase in knowledge and performance skills after exposure to the model and in comparison with the control group. Assessment of the model by participating students revealed a high degree of satisfaction with the planning, organization, and implementation of the intervention activities. Students also highly rated the relevancy of the intervention for future work. CONCLUSION: A model on PHCC training in family medicine is essential for all Iraqi medical schools. The model is to be implemented by various relevant departments until Departments of Family medicine are established

Is “disease management” the answer to our problems? No! Population health management and (disease) prevention require “management of overall well-being”

BACKGROUND: Disease management programs based on the chronic care model have achieved successful and long-term improvement in the quality of chronic care delivery and patients’ health behaviors and physical quality of life. However, such programs have not been able to maintain or improve broader self-management abilities or social well-being, which decline over time in chronically ill patients. Disease management efforts, population health management initiatives and innovative primary care solutions are still mainly focused on clinical and functional outcomes and health behaviors (e.g., smoking cessation, exercise, and diet) failing to address individuals’ overall quality of life and well-being. Individuals’ ability to achieve well-being can be assessed with great specificity through the application of social production function (SPF) theory. This theory asserts that people produce their own well-being by trying to optimize the achievement of instrumental goals (stimulation, comfort, status, behavioral confirmation, affection) that provide the means to achieve the larger, universal goals of physical and social well-being. DISCUSSION: A shift in focus from the management of physical function, disease limitations, and lifestyle behaviors alone to an approach that fosters self-management abilities such as self-efficacy and resource investment as well as overall quality of life, is urgently needed. Disease management interventions should be aimed at adequately addressing all difficulties chronically ill patients face in life, such as the effects of pain and fatigue on the ability to maintain a job and social life and to participate in activities promoting physical and social well-being. Patients’ ability to maintain engagement in stimulating work and social activities with the people who are important to them may be even more important than aspects of disease self-management such as blood pressure or glycemic control. Interventions should aim to make chronically ill patients capable of managing their own well-being and adequately addressing their needs in a broader sense. SUMMARY: So, is disease management the answer to our problems in the time of aging populations and increased prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles, chronic illnesses, and comorbidity? No! Effective (disease) prevention, disease management, patient-centered care, and high-quality chronic care and/or population health management calls for management of overall well-being

Perspectives on a Pre-Clinical Primary Care Experience by Female and Male Medical Students: Results from the Interdisciplinary Generalist Curriculum Project.

Background: PCEs are hypothesized to increase affinity for primary care careers. Subjects: Four focus groups (FGs) of randomly chosen medical students stratified by gender and year of medical school ( 40 students invited, 30 attended). Approximately 150 year I medical students surveyed by questionnaire. Design: Students were surveyed before and after year I (average response rate, 92%). FGs assessed year I students after the PCE and year 2 students without a PCE (controls). This pilot PCE included 14 half-days of "shadowing'' an office-based generalist during first semester. Analysis: FG transcripts were coded using a published model of career choice in Internal Medicine. Results: Among many positive comments (e.g., "wonderful role models", "'got me fired up about med school"), some unexpected themes emerged, including discomfort with patient relationships ("direct patient contact was intimidating and a “tum off"), boredom ("Internal Medicine ... got repetitious", "peds was boring ... so many well-child exams") and primary care backlash ("too much push to primary care'). Learning climate comments were often negative in controls but less so in PCE students. When compared with men, women cared more about role conflict (work/home) issues, and made more positive comments about intellectual stimulation of the PCE. Survey results showed no change in interest in a primary care career after the PCE (44% interested before vs 46% after, P = 0.09). Conclusions: A PCE can have positive and negative influences on career choice. These influences may differ by gender. Students could gain a greater affinity for generalism by better preparation for interacting with patients, careful selection of preceptors, and less pressure to enter primary care

Assessing the Transition of Training in Health Systems Science From Undergraduate to Graduate Medical Education

Background: The American Medical Association Accelerating Change in Medical Education (AMA-ACE) consortium proposes that medical schools include a new 3-pillar model incorporating health systems science (HSS) and basic and clinical sciences. One of the goals of AMA-ACE was to support HSS curricular innovation to improve residency preparation. Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of HSS curricula by using a large dataset to link medical school graduates to internship Milestones through collaboration with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Methods: ACGME subcompetencies related to the schools' HSS curricula were identified for internal medicine, emergency medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), pediatrics, and surgery. Analysis compared Milestone ratings of ACE school graduates to non-ACE graduates at 6 and 12 months using generalized estimating equation models. Results: At 6 months both groups demonstrated similar HSS-related levels of Milestone performance on the selected ACGME competencies. At 1 year, ACE graduates in OB/GYN scored minimally higher on 2 systems-based practice (SBP) subcompetencies compared to non-ACE school graduates: SBP01 (1.96 vs 1.82, 95% CI 0.03-0.24) and SBP02 (1.87 vs 1.79, 95% CI 0.01-0.16). In internal medicine, ACE graduates scored minimally higher on 3 HSS-related subcompetencies: SBP01 (2.19 vs 2.05, 95% CI 0.04-0.26), PBLI01 (2.13 vs 2.01; 95% CI 0.01-0.24), and PBLI04 (2.05 vs 1.93; 95% CI 0.03-0.21). For the other specialties examined, there were no significant differences between groups. Conclusions: Graduates from schools with training in HSS had similar Milestone ratings for most subcompetencies and very small differences in Milestone ratings for only 5 subcompetencies across 6 specialties at 1 year, compared to graduates from non-ACE schools. These differences are likely not educationally meaningful

A Proposed Shared Vision for Leadership Development for all Medical Students: A Call from a Coalition of Diverse Medical Schools

Issue: Despite clear relevance, need, descriptive literature, and student interest, few schools offer required curriculum to develop leadership skills. This paper outlines a proposed shared vision for leadership development drawn from a coalition of diverse medical schools. We advocate that leadership development is about self (looking inward), teams (not hierarchy), and change (looking outward). We propose that leadership development is for all medical students, not for a subset, and we believe that leadership curricula and programs must be experiential and applied. Evidence: This paper also draws on the current literature and the experience of medical schools participating in the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium, confronts the common arguments against leadership training in medical education, and provides three cross-cutting principles that we believe must each be incorporated in all medical student-centered leadership development programs as they emerge and evolve at medical schools. Implications: By confronting common arguments against leadership training and providing a framework for such training, we give medical educators important tools and insights into developing leadership training for all students at their institutions.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155578/1/Mangrulkar_et_al.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155578/3/raj DeepBluepermissions_agreement-CCBYandCCBY-NC_ORCID.docx99Description of raj DeepBluepermissions_agreement-CCBYandCCBY-NC_ORCID.docx : Deep Blue sharing agreemen