Academic Medicine Elective

Academic Year, 2017-18

Introduction

The Academic Medicine Elective course is designed to provide students with opportunities to
identify an academic interest and develop a project through a scholarly process that potentially
includes:
Scholarly inquiry
Review of project relevant literature and materials
Plan development
Project implementation
Project presentation

This elective assists students to: better understand the process of life long learning; develop skills
on identifying, creating, and presenting scholarly work; and have the competence to be part of
quality improvement and solutions in healthcare. The Academic Medicine Elective offers students
in their 4th year of medical school the opportunity to complete a project related to research,
education or community engagement.

Goals

To engage in a scholarly project during the 4th year of medical school.

To develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to complete an academic project.
To participate in the academic mission of the medical school through educational, research,
and / or service projects.

Objectives
A project should be chosen by the third block of the fourth year.
Project areas include:
o Course Assistant
o Curricular assistance
o Community Service
o Tutoring/Advising/Mentoring
o Wellness
o A student developed project
A faculty advisor must be chosen for project.
Advising meetings should take place throughout the year to review progress.
 Opportunities to attend seminars on how to complete research, produce curriculum or
participate in other academic projects and how to engage in community projects will be
provided throughout the year.
Presentations of completed work will occur the Capstone Course at the end of their 4 th year
A project poster must be completed by April of fourth year.
Presentation of the poster will take place during the Capstone Course.
Academic credit is contingent on completing the requirements.

Meeting Competency Requirements:

Students will have the opportunity to develop the following competencies by the completion
of the course:
o The ability to recognize the importance of the scientific method in establishing the
causation of disease and therapeutic efficacy of treatment (MK 11)
o The ability to engage in independent learning to stay abreast of the scientific
advances, relevant to the practice of medicine (MK 15)
o Knowledge of the basic principles and ethics of clinical and translational research,
and how such research is conducted, evaluated and applied to the care of patients.
(MK 16)
o Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with other members of a
multidisciplinary health care team (IC 6)
o Demonstrate personal motivation, dependability, integrity, honesty and reliability (P
1)
o Recognize both their abilities and limitations, to self-reflect and evaluate their own
progress, in order to continue to learn, and improve patient care (P 2)
o Seek performance feedback, and respond appropriately (P 3)
o Interact productively and respectfully with peers, supervisors, patients and their
families, as well as colleagues in other disciplines (p 4)
o Demonstrate their ability to enhance personal knowledge, commit to best practices
and independent learning skills and professional development (P 5)
o Maintain patient confidentiality (P 8)
o Advocate for the health and health care of individual patients and the general
community including the underserved (P 10)
o Continuously pursue scholarly endeavors that allow them to apply contemporary
knowledge and skills to patient care (PBL 1)
o Use information technology to access and manage information (PBL 5)
o Facilitate the learning of others, including peers, other health care professionals,
students, patients and their families (PBL 6)