User's Guide

Specific Suggestions for Use of the
Special Topic Resources

One of the most critical steps made by the FMCR Project during Years 1 and 2 was adopting the broad clinical competencies for residency education as defined by the ACGME as the framework through which all competencies for student education were to be examined and new ones defined.   This was critical in how it enabled the project to produce a resource which could be used by educators in establishing an educational continuum for their learners from medical student education into residency training.  

This analytic framework for development of Special Topic Resources was critical for two other reasons.   First, an issue raised in several dissemination activities with regard to the special areas of interest to the government is the sheer volume of content addressed over four years of medical education.   We were encouraged from early on to consider integration as a key principle as we developed resources in each of these areas.   By adopting a broader clinical framework of the ACGME competencies, we were able to integrate incorporation of competencies in these areas within the larger ACGME competencies. This enables medical educators to immediately see how they can teach broader skills in medical student education through use of all of these topics.   It demonstrates to the medical educator who is skeptical about adding another topic, that these areas can be integrated into their courses in a meaningful way without the need to add on new content.

Second, as stated in the contract Scope of Work, the resource produced through this contract was to be "used by family medicine medical school faculty and their medical school and community colleagues who are engaged in the process of improving medical education."   By incorporating the special areas of interest to the government within a larger framework that is widely understood by the broad medical education community, including family medicine, we have enhanced the perceived usefulness of our resource to a broader audience.   By redefining the focus of integrating the special topics within a broader framework, we have been able to convey to broad audiences the immediate utility of this resource to help teach these areas in a more comprehensive way to medical students.

There are many examples of how broader concepts can be taught through these topics, drawing on FMCR resources.

For example, within the broad ACGME competency of Professionalism, the topics of substance abuse and genetics can be very helpful to illustrate broader concepts related to ethics in medical practice.   Below is a sampling of suggested goals/objectives for medical student education around issues of professionalism within the content areas of genetics and substance abuse:

GOAL: Students will apply ethical principles to the issues of genetic testing and working with genetic information.

OBJECTIVES: The student will be able to:

• Discuss the ethical and social implications of genetic testing.
• Describe the implications for patient confidentiality when family members receive care at the same health care facility.
• Describe the rationale for the claim that health care providers may have a duty to disclose information about genetic risk to family members.
• Discuss the counseling and confidentiality issues that arise in family-based detection of people with hereditary hemochromatosis

GOAL: Students will understand the heightened risk of substance abuse within the health professions.

OBJECTIVES: The student will be able to:

• Demonstrate professional behavior and patient respect when working with patients, (or colleagues), with substance abuse disorders.
• Describe issues associated with substance abuse and addictive disorders among health professionals.
• Explain the ethical responsibility for reporting impaired physicians.

Another example is to teach the broader concepts of Systems-based practice through end of life and palliative care as in these goal and objective statements:

GOAL: Students will develop awareness of resources that can improve care of patients and families.

OBJECTIVES: The student will be able to:

• Identify the psychosocial resources important to support patients and their families.
• Identify financial and insurance issues involved in selecting the most appropriate resources to assist patients and families.
• Describe the needs of disabled for health care that is accessible, sensitive, competent and comprehensive.
• Describe the legal foundations of the right of patients to refuse medical care even when self-harm is the likely result.
• Explain the legal requirements and reasoning behind advance directives.
• Identify the role of other health care providers in the care of terminally ill patients.
• Identify the various settings in which terminal care (and death) occurs-e.g., hospitals, ICU, home hospice, nursing home, accidents, and unexpected deaths.

For questions or comments, please contact Webmaster or Ardis Davis

This page last updated October 21, 2004