Integrating an Interprofessional Geriatric Active Learning Workshop Into Undergraduate Medical Curriculum

Abstract

Purpose: The aging population in the United States poses a substantial challenge to our health care system, and particularly affects the training of physicians in geriatric care. To introduce undergraduate medical students to a variety of clinical skills and concepts emphasized in geriatrics, we created an interprofessional geriatric workshop and examined changes in student perceptions of working in interprofessional teams, knowledge regarding geriatric concepts, perceptions of the pre-work material, and suggestions for curricular improvement to enhance the workshop for future students. Methods: Second-year medical students participated in a 4-hour workshop with tasks that emphasized activities of daily living, geriatric physical assessment, end-of-life discussions, Beers Criteria, and a home health assessment. Pre- and post-surveys were administered including the Students Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education–Revised (SPICE-R) survey and a knowledge assessment. Student perceptions of pre-work and overall program assessment were captured after the workshop. Descriptive statistics and paired t tests assessed for significant differences. Emerging themes were analyzed using the Glaser constant comparative method. Results: Of the 186 medical student participants, 178 students completed the SPICE-R survey, demonstrating significant increases in students’ perceptions of the value of interprofessional education ( P < .001). In addition, 111 students completed the pre- and post-test for the knowledge assessment, demonstrating significant gains in geriatric concepts ( P < .001). Overall, most students perceived the pre-work as useful and felt prepared to evaluate geriatric patients. Open-ended question analysis supported results, in which 34 students indicated that they felt most comfortable performing a home health assessment and emphasized the usage of the home health simulation. Conclusions: Introducing medical students to a variety of geriatric assessments and concepts in an interprofessional environment early in their career positively influences their perceptions of working as an interprofessional team member to deliver comprehensive care to older adults.

Collaboration between stakeholders involved in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) care of people without natural speech

“…Similarities can be found with geriatric care, in which care is provided for a vulnerable patient group with complex chronic conditions as well. As in AAC care, geriatric patients (e.g., patients with dementia) are often cared for at home by informal caregivers and also rely on the support of various stakeholders such as therapists, physicians, or other health and social care workers (Jirau-Rosaly et al, 2020;Tsakitzidis et al, 2016).…”

4Ms for Early Learners: A Skills-Based Geriatrics Curriculum for Second-Year Medical Students

“…Published curricula for medical students have included case-based discussions, 7 – 10 standardized patient (SP) cases for use with third-year students, 11 – 14 and team-based learning activities. 15 The literature on geriatric curricula designed specifically for students in the initial years of medical school is limited. Case-based discussion curricula for second-year medical students (MS2s) 7 – 10 have been well received by faculty and have demonstrated improvement in student content knowledge but have not been designed to assess psychomotor skills.…”

“Finding Common Ground” – Impact of a Complex Intervention on Collaboration in Augmentative and Alternative Communication Care of People without Natural Speech

“…This includes, for example, the care of children with complex rare diseases, eldercare, or the care of people with disabilities. [1][2][3] However, healthcare is often organized in a fragmented way, and collaboration between stakeholders involved in the care of an individual patient is often insufficient. 4 In this paper, collaboration is defined according to Reeves et al 5…”