PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

OUTCOMES OF A PROFESSIONALISM CURRICULUM: THE PROFESSIONALISM INITIATIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Robert M. Klein, Giulia A. Bonaminio*, Anthony Paolo, Martha Montello & Mark C. Meyer

Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Family Medicine, History and Philosophy of Medicine, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
The University of Kansas, School of Medicine (KUSOM),
Kansas City, KS 66160
USA
*Presenting Author

PURPOSE
At KUSOM, our goal is for each student to graduate as a multi-tooled physician leader. Those tools, which must supplement the fundamental requirement of medical knowledge, are the core tenets of professionalism: altruism, accountability, excellence, duty, honor and integrity, respect and commitment. Each student should enter residency training well prepared to engage and grow from the challenges and opportunities a career in medicine offers.

METHODS
The KUSOM curriculum is systems-based with elements of professionalism as a component of each module and clerkship. The intent of the professionalism initiative is to develop a seamless professionalism curriculum that gives learners the tools to grow personally and professionally as they advance from medical school applicants to residents and eventually to become outstanding leaders of the health care team. Currently, the KUSOM conducts a number of activities to assist students in their personal and professional development: 1) First-year Orientation Events culminating in the White Coat Ceremony, 2) Dean’s Hours, 3) Academic Societies programs, 4) Professionalism Small Group Discussions, 5) the Third Year Transition Ceremony, and 6) Introduction to Clinical Medicine. Professionalism is recognized through the Gold Humanism Society and the “Pride in the Profession Award” which recognizes a senior student who most appropriately characterizes the qualities of professionalism in medicine. Additional elements of our professionalism initiative can be found at: http://www.kumc.edu/som/professionalism.html

RESULTS
In the Graduation Questionnaire our students rank professionalism as a very strong component of their training. Some graduates even indicate that there is too much emphasis placed on professionalism. Our graduates also score very highly in the professionalism categories on their residency director surveys completed after the first year of residency.

CONCLUSION
A cohesive professionalism program has a positive impact on student attitudes and behaviors toward medical practice.

FACILITATING COMMUNICATION AMONG BIOCHEMISTRY COURSE DIRECTORS

Michael A. Lea

Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
UM.D.NJ – New Jersey Medical School
Newark, NJ 07103
USA

PURPOSE
While medical schools have had departments of physiological chemistry or biochemistry since the time of the Flexner report, prior to 2008 North American medical biochemistry course directors had not formally organized. The current period of curricular change raises questions on the relationship of biochemistry to other disciplines basic to medical education. Meetings sponsored by the Association of Medical and Graduate Departments of Biochemistry (AMGDB) were held in 2008 and 2009 to address those issues. The nature of those meetings and the future of the Association of Biochemistry Course Directors (ABCD) formed at the first meeting are the subject of
this report.

METHODS
An organizing committee solicited attendees through departments affiliated with the AMGDB, web searching and personal contacts. Meetings were held in Myrtle Beach, SC, using formats similar to those used at meetings of
microbiologists teaching in medical schools.

RESULTS
In 2008 there were 77 attendees and 72 in 2009. Topics discussed included the role of biochemistry in integrated curricula, teaching modalities such as TBL, defining course content, resource exchanges and teaching basic science in years 3 and 4 of medical school. Topics for discussion at future meetings were identified. It was agreed that future meetings would be biennial.

CONCLUSIONS
Attendees were positive about the value of communication among biochemistry course directors. It was recognized that in integrated curricula there will be directors of courses in which biochemistry forms only a part of the material, but the importance of the discipline is such that there is a need for continuing dialogue, and this can be facilitated by meetings of a national and international nature.

CIRC: A COMPUTER LAB WHERE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT, STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING, AND TECHNOLOGY UNITE

Jeanne B. Schlesinger*, Kimberly A. Fisher & Katherine J. Tucker

Director of Instructional Development
Director of CIRC
Resource Coordinator
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Richmond, VA
USA

*Presenting Author

PURPOSE
Busy medical school faculty often think they don’t have time to improve their teaching. As faculty developers in CIRC (Curriculum Innovation Resource Center) one of our jobs is to help faculty teach better, especially with learner-centered strategies and technology. Our task is to persuade them we have something valuable to offer and
then do so efficiently and effectively.

METHODS
Because of the complex infrastructure of the pre-clinical courses, we meet with course directors and faculty to assist with development of printed and online course material. We provide a much-welcomed information clearinghouse and guidance in the form of coaching so they don’t have to navigate the system alone. We are in a unique position to brainstorm and gather information on successful teaching strategies and share this information with others. In addition, both formal and informal course evaluations by students offer valuable suggestions for course improvement. We work with faculty to implement these changes by utilizing relationships we have developed with the many people, departments, systems, and technology support staff required for change. In other words, faculty come to us with their challenges and we help determine what resources are needed to address them.

RESULTS
We have conducted multiple coaching sessions with more than 100 faculty this school year. They appreciate the individualized guidance and focused attention we provide in these one-on-one sessions. Student feedback on formal
course evaluations has also been positive about these teaching enhancements.

CONCLUSIONS
We plan to build on this successful coaching initiative by reaching additional faculty through a focused marketing campaign. As more people participate, the program will continue to improve.