Medical Education Project Orientation For Families
“My family encouraged me to look at my patients – especially my pediatric patients – as part of a whole family unit.  They taught me to see that we as a medical profession are treating a whole family, not just the one patient…..It was such a positive experience at this point in my clinical clerkship year to have such a powerful reminder of why we as physicians must always keep in mind the perspective our patients and their loved ones are taking, as they are often very different from our own.”
(a medical student’s reflection)

What do you wish for in your child’s pediatrician or specialist?  Do you have stories of interactions that worked well and those that didn’t?  Would you like to use your experiences with physicians to teach medical students?   If so, and if you live within a 35-minute driving radius of UVM, you are invited to join the over 40 families who participate in the Medical Education Project (MEP).  All third-year medical students are required to visit a family in their home and to learn about family-centered care directly from the family’s perspective.  In a recent evaluation of the program, students talked of learning not only about the complexity of families’ lives, but also about the importance of listening to families and working as partners with families.  Families can choose the level of participation in this project, from 1 to 5 visits in a year.  Through funding from the College of Medicine, we can offer a $25 stipend for each visit with a medical student.

On Wed., May 7th, from 7:00-9:00 p.m., there will be an orientation meeting to talk about the details of this program and how to plan for a medical student’s visit.  Let us know if you are interested in this program and we will send more details nearer to the time of the orientation meeting.  If you are interested in the program and cannot come to the meeting, we will put you on the list for a later orientation.  Call Jo Yoder (802) 764-5290 ext. 25 or email Jo.Yoder@partoparvt.org   ©

Panel on Home Visits from Students’ Perspectives – NEW DATE
On Wed., March 26th from 7:00 – 8:30 PM, Parent to Parent has invited a panel of medical students, former residents, nursing students and ILEHP trainees to speak about what they’ve learned from our various Family Faculty programs.  We know students love visiting and learning from families, but you, as the “real” teachers may not have had the opportunity to hear directly from students.  If you’ve ever hosted a student for a home visit or are considering becoming Family Faculty, this panel will be of interest to you.  We’ll have plenty of time for informal discussion and the chance to meet other parents involved in these programs.  Please RSVP to Clare Plunkett at (802) 764-5290 ext. 11  ©

Read more about Family Faculty Institute Programs

Late Winter 2003 - In this Issue:
From our Director
Board & Staff Update
Family Faculty | Family Support
Family Voices of Vermont
Partners In Care Conference Notes
Books & Beyond
Family Story: DiGiammarino's
Our Calendar | News & Note

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