INTL-1001 - Global Health Field Research

INTL-1001 - Global Health Field Research

Elective Title: Global Health Field Research
Course Number: INTL-1001
Elective Type: research Duration/Weeks: 8 Max Enrollment: N/A
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Year 1
Additional Requirements: International electives require both (1) course director approval, AND (2) institution-level approval (fully executed Affiliation and Program Agreements and international travel approval) must be in place prior to the start of the elective, as retroactive elective credit will NOT be given.
Responsible Faculty Director: Norma A Perez, MD, DrPH, CPC-ELI-MP Periods Offered: 3 & 4 excluding holiday period 8 
Coordinator: Kimberly Turner Other Faculty:
Location to Report on First Day:
Contact your UTMB-assigned research mentor

Goals
1. To expose preclinical medical students to the principles of public health, epidemiology, and community health in underserved areas.
2. To expose students to conducting research in global settings.

Objectives
1. Utilize basic epidemiological principles important in evaluating the health of a community.
2. Utilize research skills, ex. public health surveys and focus groups, laboratory experience, etc.
3. Explore the effects of environmental and socio-economic issues on the health of a population.
4. Develop cultural awareness and sensitivity while conducting research.

Description of course activities
This course is offered ONLY through the Summer Research Program (SRP).This course offers preclinical medical students a field-based research experience at an approved international partner site with UTMB faculty mentors. Research can range from biomedical, translational research, clinical trials, community-based/public health, or secondary data analysis. Students will apply foundational biomedical and epidemiological knowledge to real-world health challenges in a resource-variable setting. Examples of student activities can include but are not limited to: hands-on participation carrying out community-based health initiatives, observational clinical research encounters, exposure to public health interventions; performing baseline surveys and lab studies, participating in manuscript or scholarly product preparation.

Type of students who would benefit from the course
Preclinical medical students with an interest in global health research (infectious disease, tropical medicine, community-based).

    Weekly Schedule
          Estimated Course Activities (Start-Time/Finish-Time):
Day of Week   AM   PM
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

 Average number of patients seen per week:
 Call Schedule:

Research / Other Course Activities
(estimated schedule)
Activity Hours per Week
Faculty Contact-Time 15
Self-Directed Study 10
Data-Collection/Analysis 15
Other


Method of Student Evaluation
1.  Clinical Observation
  A. Where are students observed on this elective?
    Inpatient Service   Ambulatory   Surgery   Standardized patients
Patients simulators   Other
  B. Frequency - How often are students observed clinically?
   
  C. Format - What method(s) are used to document the student's clinical performance?
    Daily oral feedback   End of period oral feedback   Written feedback
Other

2.  Oral Presentation
  A. Audience - To whom does the student present?
    The student will present to faculty and peers at the Summer Research Program Poster session at the end of the 8 weeks
  B. Frequency / Duration of Presentation(s)?
    Expectations set by the Summer Research Program (SRP) and shared with students
  C. Format - What guidelines are set for the student's presentation?
    Guidelines set by the Summer Research Program (SRP) and shared with students
  D. Assessment - Who assesses the student's presentation performance?
    Self-assessment   Peer assessment   Faculty assessment
  E. Method of content selection
    Current cases  Student-selected topic   Assigned topic

3.  Written Assignment (H&P's, notes, papers, abstracts, etc.)
  A. Frequency of written assignment(s)?
   
  B. Format - What guidelines are set for the student's written work?
   
  C. Length of written assignment(s)?
    Abstract   Annotated bibliography   1 - 2 page paper   3+ page paper
  D. Are recent references required?   No    If yes, how are they selected?
   
  E. Method of content selection - e.g. student-selected, relate to cases, etc.?
   
  F. Audience - Who assesses the student's written performance?
    Peer Assessment     Faculty Assessment     Other

4.  Examination
  Format
    Oral   Written multiple choice   Written essay / short answer   OSCE
Other

5.  Extra Course Activities
  What expectations do you have for the student to demonstrate participation in the elective (e.g. small group activities, seminars, thoughtful questions, providing resources, journal club, resident lecture attendance)?
    Prior to departure: Students are expected to participate in preparation activities including group meetings on logistics, safety, and projects. They are also required to complete CITI training and additional training required by Employee Health.

6.  Additional Costs
  Please list any additional costs and/or purchases (books, materials, movies to watch, etc.) that are required for this course. Include an estimated total cost. If there are no additional costs, please enter "None".
    Students must cover travel, food, and lodging costs for some of the research sites. Costs are variable, depending on when flights are purchased, etc. However, scholarships are available to help offset the cost.

7.  Other Modes of Evaluation
  Please explain below.
   

8.  If this course is an Acting Internship, please complete the following:
  A. Objectives for the AI should relate directly to the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs). Each AI should describe how the four key Year-4 EPAs that our school has identified as being Year-4 skills are assessed. The Year-4 objectives are:
1. Entering and discussing orders/prescriptions.
2. Give or receive patient handover to transition care responsibility.
3. Recognizing a patient requiring urgent or emergent care and initiating management.
4. Obtaining informed consent for tests and procedures.
Specify how the student will be given formative feedback on their clinical skills.
   
 
B.
Year-4 students should demonstrate mastery of EPAs they developed in the clerkship year, including recommending and interpreting common diagnostic and screening tests, and performing general procedures of a physician. They should be able to demonstrate masterfully and independently skills they mastered in Years 2-3, including efficiently performing comprehensive admission-notes and succinct daily progress notes and perform accurate, concise, and hypothesis-driven clinical presentations, form clinical questions and retrieve evidence to advance patient care. They should be able to demonstrate basic understanding of and beginning mastery of collaborate as a member of the interprofessional team and identify system failures and contribute to a culture of safety improvement.

List advanced clinical skills that a student will be assured an opportunity to practice.
   
 
C.
How specifically will this AI build on developing skills from the clerkship year to prepare students for internship?
   
 
D.
What opportunities will typically be available to all students who take this AI (procedures, required presentations, etc.)? What opportunities may be available based on patient load/presentation or student initiative (ie. Writing a case report)?
   
 
E.
An AI should have expectation of a minimum of 32 hours per week of clinical responsibilities. Duty hours should be capped at ACGME limits for an intern, thus up to 24 hours followed by 4 hours of activities related to patient safety, education, and handoff. Students cannot work more than 80 hours per week averaged over 4 weeks. They can only have 1 day off in a 7-day work week with 8 hours off between shifts.

Clinical responsibilities will vary depending on specialty, but how is the student functioning with work commensurate to a PGY1 with an appropriate level of training?
   
 
F.
How is the student demonstrating drawing clinical conclusions and/or developing a management plan and documentation as an intern would do?
   
 
G.
How and by whom will midpoint feedback be provided to the student? How will you remediate deficiencies identified at midpoint?
   
 
H.
Acting Internship students often seek letters of recommendation following their experience. How many different Faculty will work directly with the student and have knowledge of the student's abilities to detail in a written evaluation? Describe the degree of supervision and interaction with faculty vs. residents or other providers and how feedback will be obtained if more direct work is with residents or other providers.