The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, located in the Bronx, serves an underserved, urban community overwhelmed by racial/ethnic disparities in health, education, and environmental justice. The diversity of its residents, with regard to cultural identity, religion and history, creates a challenging setting to institute comprehensive and competent health care and research. As the only medical school in the Bronx, it plays an important role in addressing racial/ethnic disparities in disease prevalence and management. The school has implemented various changes to prepare future health care providers and researchers to become more culturally competent. The Department of Family Medicine (DFM) promotes competency through lectures, problem-based learning, and, more importantly, a hands-on community health project. Under the supervision of the Director of Community Health, medical students conduct a 6-week educational, research, or service-oriented health project. To ensure cultural sensitivity, students work with a cast of research and community specialists, including faculty advisors, data managers/analysts, community liaisons and the Project Director. Each team member provides unique resources and tools that introduce and reinforce fundamental aspects of implementing culturally sensitive community health projects. Through this experience students gain a greater appreciation and understanding of cross-cultural issues, such as language barriers, differences in health belief models, and differences in disease management and prevention. Presenters will introduce the DFM community health project component and discuss the resources and tools offered by faculty members. Three student projects will be presented to demonstrate how this interdisciplinary approach is put into practice.
Learning Objectives: 1.) Explain how involvement in community health projects can help students become culturally competent health care providers and researchers, 2.) Describe the resources, tools, and support provided to students to aid them in designing a culturally-sensitive community health project, 3.) Provide examples of successful medical student community health projects.
Keywords: Health Education, Community Involvement
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Director of Community Health.