PMCU-4017 - Topics in Public Health

PMCU-4017 - Topics in Public Health

Elective Title: Topics in Public Health
Course Number: PMCU-4017
Elective Type: research Duration/Weeks: 4 Max Enrollment: 10
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Year 2
Additional Requirements: C Form required to enroll
Responsible Faculty Director: Cara Pennel, MPH Periods Offered: 15 excluding holiday period 8 
Coordinator: Other Faculty: Kristen Peek, Ph.D; John Prochaska, Dr.Ph, MPH; Denny Fe Agana-Norman
Location to Report on First Day:
1.104 Ewing Hall

Goals
This course is designed to provide students with exposure to basic public health concepts and introduce students to community-based public health practice. Emphasis is placed on the three core functions of public health (assessment, program and policy development, and assurance) and the social and environmental causes of disease.

Objectives
Students who successfully complete this course will be prepared to: 1) assemble and interpret epidemiological data to describe a specific health problem in a population; 2) identify determinants of health and illness, factors contributing to health promotion and disease prevention, and factors influencing the use of health services impacting communities; and 3) propose evidence-based interventions to address a population health problem. This course prepares students to partner with public health professionals and community members to identify and address community health problems.

Description of course activities
Lectures and small group discussion; site visits to community-based organizations, public health agencies and community health centers; team projects and team presentations.Team projects will be presented in final week of course. The project will involve epidemiological description of a specific health problem, identification of causal factors, and a review of public health approaches to addressing the problem. Examples of projects include reviews of: effective school-based obesity prevention programs, diabetes management in low resource communities, STD prevention in high prevalence populations, and campaigns to reduce drunk driving among young adults. 4 weeks (~32 contact hours per week including 4 interactive lecture / discussion sessions per week)

Type of students who would benefit from the course
Students interested in public health careers or concerned about public health issues. Required course for students in Public Health Track.

Weekly Schedule
  Clinical Activities (estimated schedule)  
Day of Week   AM   PM
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

 Average number of patients seen per week:
 Call Schedule:

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

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?
    Course faculty and students.
  B. Frequency / Duration of Presentation(s)?
    All students will participate in the final presentation of team projects.
  C. Format - What guidelines are set for the student's presentation?
    The final project oral presentation will include: 1) a description of the public health problem, 2) a discussion of the determinants of the public health problem, and 3) a review of evidence-based interventions to address the public health problem. Format may vary based on the selected public health problem course enrollment.
  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)?
    Each team will present a final written report in week 4.
  B. Format - What guidelines are set for the student's written work?
    The final written report will include: 1) a description of the public health problem, 2) a discussion of the determinants of the public health problem, 3) a review of evidence-based interventions to address the public health problem, and 4) a summary statement. Format may vary based on the selected public health problem course enrollment.
  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.?
    Students will select a public health problem with guidance from course faculty.
  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)?
    Attendance at lectures and small group discussions. Active participation in small group activities.

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".
    None

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.