Essential Functions for Graduate Medical Education- Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine Residencies

Essential Function Examples
Observation/Sensory Modalities Examples include, but are not limited to:
Candidates must be able to master a defined level of information. This information will be presented in a variety of formats including but not limited to demonstrations in the basic sciences, computer demonstrations, observations of microbiology cultures, and gross studies of human tissues in normal pathologic states. Candidates must also be able to accurately observe  close at hand and at a distance, for the purpose of learning skills and gathering data. Candidates must possess functional use of the senses that permit much observations. Observe an instructor's movements, a patient's gait or verbal responses, a chemical reaction, a microscopic image; feel vibrations, detect temperature, distinguish color and intensity, such as red skin lesion or skin paleness, hear faint body sounds such as heart and lung sounds, smell odors such as alcohol breath.

 

 
Communication: Examples would include but not limited to the ability to:
Candidates must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently, both verbally and in writing, with patients and members of the health care team.  This would include stressful or demanding situations.  The candidate must be able to respond to questions, formulate problems and to ask pertinent questions in a one-on-one, small group or large group format. Candidates must be able to read and comprehend written material in English.

 

 Educate patients, convey important updates on a patient's status, both through written means (e.g., progress notes) and verbally (e.g., presentation to a consultant), and read information about a patient, such as a consultant's note or a radiology report.]

 

 

 
Psychomotor Skills: Examples would include but are not limited to the ability to:
Candidates must have sufficient motor capacities and mobility to attend didactics.  They must have sufficient motor function to obtain data from patients using tactile, auditory, and visual maneuvers.  The candidate must possess adequate strength, mobility, and dexterity to obtain all the important information and perform reasonable procedures in the care of patients.  Candidates must have the motor skills to provide general care and emergency treatment that are reasonably required of physicians. The candidate must possess adequate strength, mobility, and dexterity.

 

 Dress in protective clothing in the performance of clinical duties (e.g. tolerate a mask on the face), perform cardiopulmonary  resuscitation, perform chest compressions, manually ventilate a patient; take vital signs measurements, take blood pressure readings, take pulse rate; and perform catheter insertions, intravenous lines.  The candidate should also be able to stand and maintain balance, move in confined spaces, pick up or grasp small objects, and complete assigned clinical practice within an acceptable time period.

 

 
Intellectual and Cognitive Abilities: Examples would include, but not be limited to the ability to:
Candidates must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, integrate, and apply information.  Candidates must be able to apply information from a variety of sources, such as knowledge obtained in classroom settings, interaction with other heatlhcare professionals, written materials such as textbooks or literature  searches.  Problem-solving, a clinical skill required of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities.  Candidates must be able to perform these functions not only durign times of quiet refection but must also during loud, stressful situations and in a rapid manner, such as might occur in a medical emergency.  In addition, candidates must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures. Transfer knowledge from one situation to another; assimilate and apply knowledge acquired from multiple learning experiences; comprehend and apply abstract concepts; handle multiple tasks and problem-solve simultaneously; synthesize knowledge and skills; prioritize tasks; use long an short term memory; be able to process information and reach appropriate conclusion in urgent situations; gather and process patient information, in either verbal or written formats, in a timely manner.

 

 

 

 
Professional, Behavioral and Social Attributes Examples of these would include, but not be limited to:
Candidates must possess the emotional health required to fully use their intellectual abilities and interact with others, including patients, faculty, and staff in a reasonable manner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Ability to exercise good judgment, promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and develop mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients.  Candidates must be able to tolerate physical, emotional, and mentally taxing workloads, and to function effectively under stress.  They must be able to pay attention to detail and perform their learning activities, especially experiential activities, accurately and thoroughly, and assume responsibility and accountability for their actions.  They must be able to adapt positively to stress and changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties and ambigities inherent in the clinical problems of many patients.  Candidates must have the emotional maturity to self-assess, know their limitations and seek advice or counseling in situations that might impair their learning or their performance in the care of patients. They must know their limits, recognize when they should seek consultation and/or supervision, and do so in a timely manner.  The capacity of healthcare professionals to self-assess their ability to function at a high level for the best care and safety of their patients, and to proactively seek appropriate treatment, including leaves of absence, is an important ability for a physician to have.