Recorded presentation

Heather Tindall, MPH¹, Olapeju Simoyan, BDS, MPH¹, and Philip Wilson, PhD². (1) Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Student Box #744, 500 University Dr., Hershey, PA 17033, 626-354-2012, hct115@psu.edu, (2) Department of Humanities, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033

In 1994, the World Summit on Medical Education concluded that the current medical training and practice could not meet the health care needs of the global population. Medical education and academic health centers have been accused of failing to respond to the prevailing health care concerns of the population at large. Physician education must include an understanding of population-based health needs, the effective use of health resources, and an understanding of the different approaches to solving health problems. Several U.S. medical schools have made efforts to improve their students’ education regarding public health concerns. Such efforts include lectures incorporated into existing curricula, combined MD/MPH programs, and fellowships in epidemiology and public health. At The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, medical students with prior training in public health have designed and begun to implement a Public Health Lunch Lecture Series offered to students and other members of the academic community. The lectures provide an introduction to the field of public health – its methods, tools, resources and organizations. They also provide a global perspective of medicine, focusing on information and tools relevant to practicing clinicians. The course augments medical education in training future providers to meet the prevailing health care needs of the population. Soon to be available on the web, the curriculum is designed to be inexpensive and reproducible by other medical schools and future students. Presentations can be given by medical students, thereby promoting student ownership and participation in their own education.

Learning Objectives:

• To recognize the need to augment medical education with the valuable perspective, skills and tools of public health.
• To describe an innovative approach to educating medical students about public health.
• To develop an appropriate curriculum in public health for medical students.

Keywords: Public Health Education, Medicine

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation