Introduction
Philosophy and Definitions
The Aultman Clerkship in Family Medicine is designed to provide you a solid background in the principles and practice family medicine, regardless of your future specialty choice. Our paramount goal is to prepare students to function effectively in the family medicine setting. The clerkship will initiate, foster and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are essential to our medical specialty that performs continuing, comprehensive, compassionate and personal care provided within the contexts of family and community.
The following definitions of family medicine and of a family physician, as adopted by the American Academy of Family Physicians, are offered:
Family Medicine: Family medicine is the medical specialty which provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family. It is the specialty in breadth which integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of family medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes, each organ system, and every disease entity. The specialty of family medicine is the result of the evolved and enhanced expression of general medical practice and is uniquely defined within the family context.
Family Physician: The family physician is a physician who is educated and trained in family medicine – broadly encompassing medical specialty. Family physicians possess unique attitudes, skills, and knowledge which qualify them to provide continuing and comprehensive medical care, health maintenance and preventive services to each member of the family regardless of sex, age or type of problem, be it biological, behavioral, or social. These specialists, because of their background and interactions with the family, are best qualified to serve as each patient's advocate in all health-related matters, including the appropriate use of consultants, health services, and community resources.
Family Medicine Core Values: Continuing, comprehensive, compassionate and personal care provided within the contexts of family and community.
Family Medicine Clerkship Core Competencies
A. Patient Care
GOAL: Students will employ the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to provide either preventive, episodic, or continuing care to individual patients and families in an ambulatory and/or inpatient setting.
OBJECTIVES: The student will:
1.Recognize the patient’s motivation(s) for seeking care.
2.Assess the type and level of care needed for the particular encounter.
3.Project empathy.
4.Encourage patients to seek continuing medical care at intervals appropriate for their condition(s).
5.Utilize appropriate health maintenance screening protocols.
6.Provide anticipatory health care.
B. Knowledge For Practice
GOAL:Students will demonstrate a basic level of competency of history, physical examination, procedural, and problem-solving skills required to adequately assess andmanage the spectrum of disease processes seen in Family Medicine.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Understand the relationship between the basic and clinical sciences.
2.Apply their knowledge in the basic and clinical sciences to the care of their patients.
3.Demonstrate the ability to assess a patient and differentiate the need for urgent versus non-urgent care.
4.Utilize knowledge and technical skills, when appropriate, to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of a patient.
5.Employ viable treatment plans within the confines of clinical data available, and within the socioeconomic capability of the patient and/or family.
C. Practice Based Learning and Improvement
GOAL:Students will practice evidence-based medicine.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Facilitate and support his/her own education by reading current journal publications and utilizing information technology.
2.Assess, apply, and assimilate investigative knowledge to improve patient care.
D. Interpersonal and Medical Communication
GOAL:Students will establish effective and ethically sound relationships with patients, faculty, staff, and peers to provide quality health care.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Appraise literacy level of their patients and others in an effort to improve communication.
2.Use effective written, verbal, and nonverbal language.
3.Utilize intuitive and listening skills.
4.Illustrate the attributes of a team player.
5.Cite and communicate information in an organized and succinct manner.
E. Professionalism
GOAL:Students will respect and be sensitive to the individuality, values, goals, concerns, and rights of all with whom they interact in the ambulatory and inpatient healthcare setting.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Complete responsibilities reliably.
2.Demonstrate respect, empathy, and integrity.
3.Demonstrate understanding of ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, informed consent, and confidentiality.
F. Systems-Based Practice
GOAL:Students will effectively integrate ancillary healthcare resources and appropriately utilize business systems for optimal care of their patients.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Recognize the role of the Family Physician as a member and coordinator of the healthcare delivery team.
2.Recognize social and economic factors that affect patient care.
3.Identify the various people/factors involved in the patient care process, such as:patient, family, staff, consultants (medical and non-medical), and insurance companies.
4.Practice quality cost-effective healthcare.
5.Realize the Family Physician’s role in the community and society.
The Aultman Clerkship in Family Medicine is designed to provide you a solid background in the principles and practice family medicine, regardless of your future specialty choice. Our paramount goal is to prepare students to function effectively in the family medicine setting. The clerkship will initiate, foster and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are essential to our medical specialty that performs continuing, comprehensive, compassionate and personal care provided within the contexts of family and community.
The following definitions of family medicine and of a family physician, as adopted by the American Academy of Family Physicians, are offered:
Family Medicine: Family medicine is the medical specialty which provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family. It is the specialty in breadth which integrates the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. The scope of family medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes, each organ system, and every disease entity. The specialty of family medicine is the result of the evolved and enhanced expression of general medical practice and is uniquely defined within the family context.
Family Physician: The family physician is a physician who is educated and trained in family medicine – broadly encompassing medical specialty. Family physicians possess unique attitudes, skills, and knowledge which qualify them to provide continuing and comprehensive medical care, health maintenance and preventive services to each member of the family regardless of sex, age or type of problem, be it biological, behavioral, or social. These specialists, because of their background and interactions with the family, are best qualified to serve as each patient's advocate in all health-related matters, including the appropriate use of consultants, health services, and community resources.
Family Medicine Core Values: Continuing, comprehensive, compassionate and personal care provided within the contexts of family and community.
Family Medicine Clerkship Core Competencies
A. Patient Care
GOAL: Students will employ the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to provide either preventive, episodic, or continuing care to individual patients and families in an ambulatory and/or inpatient setting.
OBJECTIVES: The student will:
1.Recognize the patient’s motivation(s) for seeking care.
2.Assess the type and level of care needed for the particular encounter.
3.Project empathy.
4.Encourage patients to seek continuing medical care at intervals appropriate for their condition(s).
5.Utilize appropriate health maintenance screening protocols.
6.Provide anticipatory health care.
B. Knowledge For Practice
GOAL:Students will demonstrate a basic level of competency of history, physical examination, procedural, and problem-solving skills required to adequately assess andmanage the spectrum of disease processes seen in Family Medicine.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Understand the relationship between the basic and clinical sciences.
2.Apply their knowledge in the basic and clinical sciences to the care of their patients.
3.Demonstrate the ability to assess a patient and differentiate the need for urgent versus non-urgent care.
4.Utilize knowledge and technical skills, when appropriate, to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of a patient.
5.Employ viable treatment plans within the confines of clinical data available, and within the socioeconomic capability of the patient and/or family.
C. Practice Based Learning and Improvement
GOAL:Students will practice evidence-based medicine.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Facilitate and support his/her own education by reading current journal publications and utilizing information technology.
2.Assess, apply, and assimilate investigative knowledge to improve patient care.
D. Interpersonal and Medical Communication
GOAL:Students will establish effective and ethically sound relationships with patients, faculty, staff, and peers to provide quality health care.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Appraise literacy level of their patients and others in an effort to improve communication.
2.Use effective written, verbal, and nonverbal language.
3.Utilize intuitive and listening skills.
4.Illustrate the attributes of a team player.
5.Cite and communicate information in an organized and succinct manner.
E. Professionalism
GOAL:Students will respect and be sensitive to the individuality, values, goals, concerns, and rights of all with whom they interact in the ambulatory and inpatient healthcare setting.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Complete responsibilities reliably.
2.Demonstrate respect, empathy, and integrity.
3.Demonstrate understanding of ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, informed consent, and confidentiality.
F. Systems-Based Practice
GOAL:Students will effectively integrate ancillary healthcare resources and appropriately utilize business systems for optimal care of their patients.
OBJECTIVES:The student will:
1.Recognize the role of the Family Physician as a member and coordinator of the healthcare delivery team.
2.Recognize social and economic factors that affect patient care.
3.Identify the various people/factors involved in the patient care process, such as:patient, family, staff, consultants (medical and non-medical), and insurance companies.
4.Practice quality cost-effective healthcare.
5.Realize the Family Physician’s role in the community and society.