Medical Education
Third-Year Clerkship

2007-2008 Goals and Objectives

Goal 1:   The student will develop a primary care evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of problems commonly seen in community-based Family Medicine.

Objectives

1.1   Demonstrate increasing knowledge of the 40 problems commonly seen in family medicine with emphasis on the Core Topics (page 14).

1.2   Demonstrate consistent application of relevant current, evidence-based when possible, literature at the “point of care” to determine patient management.

1.3   Consistently develop reasonable diagnoses and management plans for both undifferentiated and common medical problems.

1.4   Consistently demonstrate intuitive reasoning which supports diagnoses and management decisions.

1.5   Recognize serious and life-threatening patient presentations which require immediate intervention and demonstrate an appropriate clinical response.

Goal 2:   The student will develop and refine clinical skills which are essential to the practice of competent Family Medicine as well as medicine in general.

Objectives

2.1   Demonstrate increasing skill in the appropriate performance of focused versus comprehensive histories and physical exams.

2.2   Demonstrate increasing interpersonal and communication skills which facilitate accurate, pertinent and appropriately comprehensive information gathering.

2.3   Consistently demonstrate increasingly correct physical exam techniques and reproducible physical exam findings.

2.4   Document patient visits in the SOAP format with increasing organization and attention to pertinent information.

2.5   Observe common office procedures and whenever possible demonstrate increasing skill in procedure performance.

Goal 3:   The student will understand the specialty of Family Medicine and its role within the healthcare delivery system.

Objectives

3.1   Consistently demonstrate increasing integration of clinical and biopsychosocial information to achieve patient centered care.

3.2   Identify, discuss and when possible demonstrate the benefits and barriers to providing continuity of care.

3.3   Discuss and when possible demonstrate the impact of whole patient and whole family care on patient health outcomes.

3.4   Consistently demonstrate effective coordination of care with medical consultants, health professional services and community resources.

Goal 4:   The student will develop knowledge and skills regarding the principles and clinical application of health promotion, disease prevention and patient education.

Objectives

4.1   Demonstrate progressive integration of health promotion and disease prevention strategies into all patient visits.

4.2   Consistently identify health risk factors and demonstrate use of motivational interviewing techniques to identify and develop strategies for change.

4.3   Consistently identify appropriate patient education materials and activities, and demonstrate integration of these into patient care.           

Goal 5:   The student will understand the relevance of biopsychosocial, familial, socioeconomic and community factors to providing patient-centered whole person and whole family care.

Objectives

5.1   Accurately identify and discuss the family, support system, community, cultural, ethnic, religious, occupational and economic factors influencing patient management and outcomes.

5.2   Demonstrate increasing integration of this above biopsychosocial information into patient care in a manner which will improve patient outcomes.

5.3   Demonstrate correct use of an interpreter in practices where this is possible.

Goal 6:   The student will gain understanding of medical practice as both a profession and a business.

Objectives

6.1   Demonstrate consistent responsibility for one’s own learning through timeliness, preparation, initiative in patient care, initiative in information gathering and response to feedback.

6.2   Consistently demonstrate compassion and understanding toward patients and their families, especially those who are disenfranchised or disadvantaged.

6.3   Consistently demonstrate increasing interpersonal and communication skills which facilitate peer, faculty and ancillary staff relationships.

6.4   Identify and discuss practice factors which affect efficiency, patient outcomes and office team functioning in both positive and negative ways.

6.5   Identify and discuss external factors which impact practice operations.

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