Medical Education Program Goals and Objectives

Overall Goal - Provide patient-centered care that is compassionate, appropriate and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health.

1.1 Gather essential information about patients and their conditions through history taking, physical examination, and the use of laboratory data, imaging studies, and other tests.

1.2 Make informed decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions based on patient information and preferences, up-to-date scientific evidence, and clinical judgment.

1.3 For a given clinical presentation, use data derived from the history, physical examination, imaging and/or laboratory investigation to categorize the disease process and generate and prioritize a focused list of diagnostic considerations.

1.4 Organize and prioritize responsibilities in order to provide care that is safe, efficient, and effective.

1.5 Recognize a patient requiring urgent or emergent care, and initiate evaluation and management.

1.6 Describe and propose treatments appropriate to the patient’s condition and preferences.

1.7 Accurately document history, physical examination, assessment, investigatory steps and treatment plans in the medical record.

1.8 Counsel and educate patients and their families to empower them to participate in their care and enable shared decision-making.

1.9 Provide preventative health care services and promote health in patients, families and communities.

Overall Goal - Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care.

2.1 Compare and contrast normal variation and pathological states in the structure and function of the human body across the life span.

2.2 Apply established and emerging foundational/basic science principles to health care.

2.3 Apply evidenced-based principles of clinical sciences to diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making and clinical problem solving.

2.4 Apply principles of epidemiological sciences to the identification of health problems, risk factors, treatment strategies, resources, and disease prevention/health promotion efforts for patients and populations.

2.5 Apply principles of social-behavioral sciences to patient care including assessment of the impact of psychosocial, cultural, and societal influences on health, disease, care seeking, adherence and barriers to care.

2.6 Demonstrate an understanding of and potential for engagement in the creation, dissemination and application of new health care knowledge.

Overall Goal - Demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate the care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning.

3.1 Identify and perform learning activities to address gaps in one’s knowledge, skills and/or attitudes.

3.2 Demonstrate a basic understanding of quality improvement principles and their application to analyzing and solving problems in patient and/or population-based care.

3.3 Accept and incorporate feedback into practice.

3.4 Locate, appraise and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to patients’ health problems.

3.5 Obtain and utilize information about individual patients, populations or communities to improve care.

Overall Goal - Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families and health professionals.

4.1 Communicate effectively with patients and families across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

4.2 Communicate effectively with colleagues and other health care professionals.

4.3 Communicate with sensitivity, honesty, compassion and empathy.

4.4 Maintain comprehensive and timely medical record

Overall Goal - Demonstrate understanding of and behavior consistent with professional responsibilities and adherence to ethical principles.

5.1 Demonstrate sensitivity, compassion, integrity and respect for all people.

5.2 Demonstrate knowledge of and appropriately apply ethical principles pertaining to patient privacy, autonomy and informed consent.

5.3 Demonstrate accountability to patients and fellow members of the health care team.

5.4 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical principles pertaining to the provision or withholding of care.

5.5 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical principles pertaining to health care related business practices and health care administration, including compliance with relevant laws, policies, regulations and the avoidance of conflicts of interest.

5.6 Demonstrate honesty in all professional and academic interactions.

5.7 Meet professional and academic commitments and obligations.

Overall Goal - Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care as well as the ability to call on other resources in the system to provide optimal care.

6.1 Describe the health system and its components, how the system is funded and how it affects individual and community health.

6.2 Demonstrate the ability to identify patient access to public, private, commercial and/or community-based resources relevant to patient health and care.

6.3 Incorporate considerations of benefits, risks and costs in patient and/or population care.

6.4 Describe appropriate processes for referral of patients and for maintaining continuity of care throughout transitions between providers and settings.

Overall Goal - Demonstrate the ability to engage in an interprofessional team in a manner that optimizes safe, effective patient and population-centered care.

7.1 Describe the roles of health care professionals.

7.2 Use knowledge of one’s own role and the roles of other health care professionals to work together in providing safe and effective care.

7.3 Function effectively both as a team leader and team member.

7.4 Recognize and respond appropriately to circumstances involving conflict with other health care professionals and team members.

Overall Goal - Demonstrate the qualities required to sustain lifelong personal and professional growth.

8.1 Recognize when to take responsibility and when to seek assistance.

8.2 Demonstrate healthy coping mechanisms in response to stress and professional responsibilities.

8.3 Demonstrate flexibility in adjusting to change and difficult situations.

8.4 Utilize appropriate resources and coping mechanisms when confronted with uncertainty and ambiguous situations.

8.5 Demonstrate the ability to employ self-initiated learning strategies (problem definition, identification of learning resources and critical appraisal of information) when approaching new challenges, problems or unfamiliar situations.