IMCU-4000 - Foundational Science Integration

IMCU-4000 - Foundational Science Integration

Elective Title: Foundational Science Integration
Course Number: IMCU-4000
Elective Type: career Duration/Weeks: 8 Max Enrollment: 50
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Year 2
Additional Requirements: C form required & approved by Asst/Assoc Dean Stud Affairs. There is a fee of $3250.00 per student to take the course, to help defray the cost of the course.
Responsible Faculty Director: Dr. Alison Wells Periods Offered: 1, 2 excluding holiday period 8 
Coordinator: To be determined Other Faculty: Ruth Levine, MD; Robin Mallett, MD; Norma Perez, MD
Location to Report on First Day:
TBD

Goals
By the end of the course, students will

1) Have a better understanding of strategies for studying and integrating the foundational sciences
2) Be better prepared to sit for the USMLE Step one exam, and

Objectives
Through participation in this course students will
1) Be introduced to High Yield Content for USMLE Step 1 and to common test-taking strategies.
2) Be better prepared with skills necessary for success on USMLE Step 1 by providing an environment of support and accountability.
3) Establish a baseline and be continually assessed for progress towards USMLE Step 1 readiness. This will be accomplished through NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessments (CBSSA) and UWorld Self-Assessments (UWSA)
4) Develop customized study calendars and individualized learning plans based on their self-assessments.

Description of course activities
The course will include approximately 10 or more hours of tutoring for individual students if they choose to work with Elite Med Prep or a cohort class-based model that consists of fifteen or more hours of topical instruction if they choose to work with Wolfpacc. Both are private agencies contracted to help with the course. Students will meet via the online platforms used by their respective external preparation program using screen-sharing and video-conferencing platform to connect with their group and tutor.

The goals of these programs are to:
- Provide opportunities for students to share experiences, learn from one another, build self-confidence, and develop study skills through being exposed to multiple perspectives and approaches.
- Help students assess their individual progress, identify and fine tune their study strategies.
- Provide students with a highly personalized study plan, tailored to their unique needs and circumstances, learning style, timeline, and goals.
- Ensure students' study plans are adapted according to their individual progress throughout the course.

Individual UTMB SOM Student Affairs Meetings/Progress Reports: Students will periodically be asked to submit progress reports and/or meet with a representative from Student Affairs.
The goals for these sessions are to:
- Provide additional support and feedback regarding readiness to test for USMLE Step 1.
- Continuously monitor and gather feedback regarding students' experiences in the course.
- Ensure students adhere to The University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine's Academic Advancement Policies of the Integrated Medical Curriculum

Type of students who would benefit from the course
Students who because of performance in the first two years of the curriculum are deemed at risk of not passing step 1 without extra study time.

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
Self-Directed Study
Data-Collection/Analysis
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?
   
  B. Frequency / Duration of Presentation(s)?
   
  C. Format - What guidelines are set for the student's presentation?
   
  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)?
    The Step 1 Preparation Course will be a non-graded course. However, students who are enrolled will be expected to attend all required activities and attendance will be monitored. Students who fail to show up to activities in a timely fashion or who miss required activities without an excused absence may suffer professionalism repercussions such as ECNs or expulsion from the course with no renumeration of tuition or course fees. Students will be expected to participate in all required sessions with an acceptable level of effort, complete all required tasks in a timely and serious manner, and exhibit an appropriate level of professional behavior. Required elements and assignments for the Step 1 Preparation Course include the following: - Group Tutoring Sessions: Med School tutor (MST)evaluation and attendance - Individual Tutoring Sessions: MST tutor evaluation, attendance, and completion of agreed upon study plans/tasks - Individual UTMB SOM Student Affairs Meetings/Progress Reports: Timely response and completion of agreed upon tasks (e.g., submission of progress reports - Self-Assessments: NBME CBSSAs (i.e., NBME forms) and UWSAs will be utilized to gauge progress, adjust study plans, and determine readiness to take USMLE Step 1. Timely completion of these self-assessments according to students' study plans and regular reports to tutors and Student Affairs staff will be expected. Throughout the Step 1 Preparation course, students will receive written and verbal feedback on their performance in order to help them improve and develop.

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.
    NBME tests
Med school tutor individual and group qualitative evaluation forms (for feedback)

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.