The purpose of this elective is to provide medical students with an early introduction to basic educational principles and to begin developing their skills as teachers in the health care system. Students will gain an understanding of barriers that hinder health care education and learn about teaching strategies that consider these barriers. To develop their peer-to-peer educating skills, students will prepare a “grand rounds-style” presentation for their peers using methods learned throughout the course. Students will also have a unique opportunity to work on patient education skills through standardized patient interactions that have some common examples of challenges that they will face in educating patients about their diagnoses - scenarios will include patients with limited health literacy, with concerns about medical misinformation, etc.

This course is a unique opportunity for medical students who are interested in academic medicine and teaching to gain early insight into careers involving medical education and will also be an opportunity for students to formally develop their teaching skills prior to entering residency. Students will meet physicians involved in medical education and community education who will serve as guides in developing both academic and patient education skills.

 The goals for the elective are to:

• Develop medical student teaching skills early on in medical training:
  • Gain familiarity with principles behind teaching methodologies and how to create a formal lesson plan.
  • Practice session design and facilitation of teaching sessions.
• Appreciate the role of physicians as both peer and community educators, and learn strategies to effectively disseminate information to these different audiences.
  • Identify socioeconomic barriers to patient education and strategies to overcome these challenges.
  • Examine and develop a plan to incorporate evidence-informed teaching strategies and other methods that enhance learning
• Introduce medical students to careers in academic medicine and medical education.

Prerequisite: MS4

Modules: F

Number of Students: TBD

Course Director: Roseanne Berger, MD and Jennifer Meka, EdD