Integrating medical education with public health training: Exploring the intersection of service and education

The ongoing debate about how best to tailor processes of care to meet the health needs of our increasingly diverse patient populations makes training future physicians in relevant competencies a priority. This session will outline a longitudinal curriculum, the “Patient-centered Medicine Scholars Program” at the University of Illinois College of Medicine that integrates training in patient-centered care with service learning and fosters the development of critically reflective physicians. Active-experiential learning, reflection, application and integration are central pillars of the curriculum. A core thread is students' ongoing involvement with a small cohort of patients, including underserved patients, over the course of their training. Each of the program components builds on concepts and skills necessary for practicing patient-centered medicine. The curriculum includes a service learning program that emphasizes the provision of patient-centered care for underserved and vulnerable populations. The service learning program is organized into five concentrations: domestic violence, geriatrics, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and immigrant & refugee health, and best exemplifies addressing important public health concerns through health professions education. Utilizing a peer-education model, upper level students also develop and carry out a community-based scholarly project of their interest and aligned with the needs of the community agencies with whom they work. Learners embrace the concepts of patient advocacy, humanism and compassion, and blend it with the art and science of medicine. The presenter will discuss program's key curricular components, evaluation findings, educational implications, and exportability to other settings.