A new roadmap for social medicine curriculum design based on mixed methods student and faculty evaluations of the preclinical curriculum

Abstract

Background To support the development of social medicine curricula that empower medical school graduates to redress health inequities, we conducted a mixed methods student and faculty evaluation of an expanded and innovative preclinical social medicine curriculum. Methods We implemented a longitudinal, interactive preclinical social medicine curriculum that was closely integrated with foundational science teaching then conducted a survey-based mixed methods student and faculty curriculum evaluation. Based on these results, we propose a novel conceptual roadmap for social medicine curriculum design. Results Student and faculty evaluations of an expanded and innovative longitudinal preclinical social medicine curriculum were strongly favorable. Both student and faculty respondents indicated a particular desire for deeper coverage of race and poverty among other social medicine domains. Qualitative student evaluations highlighted the importance of faculty champions to social medicine teaching as well as the educational impact of stories that exemplify the practical impact of the social determinants of health on specific patient experiences. Qualitative faculty evaluations pointed to the challenges of curriculum integration and the need for faculty career development in social medicine teaching. Conclusions Based on mixed methods student and faculty curriculum evaluation data, we propose a novel conceptual roadmap for the design of social medicine curricula at other institutions.

Beyond the Basics: A Novel Approach to Integrating a Social Determinants of Health Curriculum into an Emergency Medicine Course

“…The pre-clinical curriculum includes the utilization of year-long, small-group discussion space for critical reflection on social medicine topics, the creation of social medicine learning objectives, cross-curricular integration with foundational sciences, and adjunctive events such as SDoH rounds. 22 , 23 …”

“…The preclinical curriculum includes the utilization of year-long, small-group discussion space for critical reflection on social medicine topics, the creation of social medicine learning objectives, cross-curricular integration with foundational sciences, and adjunctive events such as SDoH rounds. 22,23 Our curriculum uses students' prior knowledge of SDoH and applies that knowledge in a real-time clinical context. This allows for the contextualization and recognition of the interplay between SDoH and clinical medicine by ensuring students are encountering the SDoH in conjunction with their patients' presenting clinical complaints rather than learning about SDoH in isolation.…”