Medical
Student Training Project - The Medical
Education Project 
Families
have
been part of physician education at the University of Vermont College
of
Medicine since 1985. Born out of the need to ensure that all
individuals
receive care that is respectful, compassionate, and empowering,
families
together with physicians designed the Medical Education Project. Two
pediatricians serving on the Parent to Parent of Vermont Advisory Board
and
faculty in the Department of Pediatrics offered to incorporate this
four-part
course within their seminar. Each session, co-taught by Parent to
Parent staff,
is required for all third year medical students during their pediatric
clerkship.
Session
One
Parent
to Parent staff introduces the concept of family-centered care to
medical
students during their orientation to pediatrics, letting medical
students know
from the very beginning the importance of families as teachers. During
this
first session students participate in an exercise entitled Diagnosis
and
Decisions. At the beginning of the session, the students
are asked
to step out of their student role, into the role of a parent. They are asked which of the following
diagnoses they would find easiest and which the hardest as a parent:
Down
Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Meningomyelocele and Third Degree Burns. The students engage in a facilitated
discussion about their choices and are asked to consider how their
personal
experiences and knowledge may have affected their choices.
Session
Two
Students
are randomly matched for a home visit with one of forty family faculty,
each
one prepared to share their own story and the lessons they want
students to
"take home" with them. Students hear from families about the impact
of chronic illness on children, families and siblings, how difficult
information can be shared, the complexity of health care systems, and
the
struggle with health care financing; they learn about resilience and
family
strengths and how families characterize a successful relationship with
physicians.
Session
Three
For
the final session students are asked to share what they have learned
from
families and to write a reflection on their experiences. As one medical
student
reflected:
"It was
enlightening
to relax with this family and look at life
through
the
eyes of parents, a perspective that is
often
disregarded when planning services
for
a child
with special needs."
From
the very
beginning, the University of Vermont College of Medicine has embraced
the
concept of families as faculty. To date, 849 medical students have been
part of
the Medical Education Project. The course we have designed, "The
Practice
of Family-Centered Care", provides medical students with an opportunity
to
learn family-centered concepts and apply them during their pediatric
rotation.
Leadership within the Department of Pediatrics has assured that the
lessons
taught in the homes of families are well integrated into their
training.
According to Dr. Lewis First, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics,
"the
unique linkage between our Department of Pediatrics and Parent to
Parent’s
Family Faculty has allowed family-centered care to become a household
word for
our students, residents, staff, and faculty."
also read article
from the AAP about the FIRST program!
Families in Resident
Student Training
(FIRST)
|
"I think this experience is so
valuable. It is so important to stop and think, "What is this family
feeling? What is this experience like for them?"
Our program has really
helped students to understand the impact the diagnosis can have on a
family, and to be much more sensitive to their feelings.
|
The
F.I.R.S.T. program at the University of Vermont College of Medicine is
a collaborative effort between the Department of Pediatrics and Parent
to Parent of Vermont. Funded by the Children’s Miracle Network, the
program is designed to teach pediatric residents the knowledge and
skills necessary to provide family centered, community based care for
children with special health needs and their families. This program is
unique within the College of Medicine in that families are the teachers
and the community becomes the classroom. This is accomplished by
matching each resident with a teaching-family. Families share their
experiences and observations with this resident throughout his or her
residency training.
Grounded in the theory of Family Centered Care, the curriculum
identifies specific ACGME skills and a related body of knowledge
essential to caring for children with special health needs. Through a
series of home visits residents are able to learn these skills directly
from the family with whom they have been paired. Residents meet
individually with project staff to reinforce learning objectives before
and after the home visits. These discussion sessions provide the
opportunity for residents to question and reflect upon what they are
learning from families, and to develop strategies for applying this
knowledge to their clinical experiences.
- The
PL 1 year consists of an orientation, a school or daycare visit, two
home visits and four discussion sessions.
- Home
visits and
discussions continue during the PL 2 year. However, the resident now
chooses a family from his or her own patient panel. Usually, these will
be patients from either Hematology/Oncology or Continuity clinic. With
the family’s consent, residents complete a home and school visit, and
visit with the family’s community pediatrician.
Families
selected by the resident, are not placed in a formal teaching role.
Rather, they simply share their experiences with the resident as they
unfold. Residents gain understanding of issues related to family
dynamics; a child’s transition from hospital to home, and school; home
health services; the community pediatrician’s role in coordinating care
and providing a medical home; and community resources and supports for
families.
- Midway
through
the PL 3 year, residents are surveyed regarding what they would like to
learn from families. A panel of experienced parents is invited to
discuss the topic of choice during a noon conference.
Participating
teaching
families are recruited, trained and followed by project staff.
Continuous quality improvement is assured through annual program
evaluations completed by both families and residents.
 Vermont
Interdisciplinary Leadership Education for Health Professionals Program
(VT-ILEHP)
A key collaboration
in this program is a 40-hour practicum coordinated by Parent to Parent
of Vermont during which each trainee/fellow works directly with a
family. Trainees join families in daily life experiences: medical and
therapy appointments, school team meetings, hospital visits, recreation
and community activities. 15-20 hours are offered to the family for a
“project” defined by the family. Trainees share on a listserv their
experiences with the family and how these experiences have enhanced
their understanding of family-centered care. Two class sessions allow
time for trainees/fellows to reflect with each other and with their
faculty mentors about their growth in family-centered competencies as
related to this family practicum experience. |
