Educational Program Objectives Policy

Policy

It is the policy of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix that the educational program objectives and measurable outcomes are linked to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies, and that they are used to guide the program planning and subsequent review of content, forming the foundation of the educational curriculum. Each block, course, and clerkship is aligned to the corresponding objectives. The assessment of student performance targeting the competencies and their respective outcomes serve as the basis for ongoing feedback to the students, faculty and administrators overseeing teaching and learning.

Patient Care (PC)

Graduates obtain accurate histories and perform skillful, comprehensive and focused patient examinations. They develop appropriate differential diagnoses and patient care management plans while learning to care for diverse patients. They recognize and understand the principles for managing life-threatening situations. They select, perform and accurately interpret the results of laboratory tests and clinical procedures in making patient care decisions, and use appropriate diagnostic and treatment technologies in providing patient care.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Obtain an accurate history and perform both complete and focused physical examinations that result in the best patient care possible.
2. Identify appropriate diagnostic procedures, perform those commonly used, and correctly interpret the results.
3. Reason deductively to construct appropriate management strategies (both diagnostic and therapeutic) for patients with common conditions.
4. Provide appropriate care for patients from diverse* backgrounds.
5. Effectively analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to provide effective, evidence-based patient care.
6. Outline an initial course of management for patients with a wide range of conditions, including those that are life threatening and describe appropriate short and long term treatment and prevention plans.
7. Effectively collaborate and communicate with members of the healthcare team to provide optimal, interprofessional patient-centered care.

Corresponding Competency Module

Medical Knowledge (MK)

Graduates apply problem solving and analytical thinking skills to problems in basic science and clinical medicine.  They demonstrate knowledge about the (1) established and evolving core of basic medical sciences, (2) application of basic medical sciences to patient care, and (3) investigatory and critical thinking approaches.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the normal and abnormal structure and function of the body as a whole, and of each organ system, over the lifespan.
2. Identify the processes and impact of social relationships and their dynamics on health, health behavior and patient care.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the molecular, cellular and biochemical mechanisms of homeostasis.
4. Identify genetic mechanisms and risks in health and disease (diagnosis, treatment and prevention) of individuals and populations.
5. Consider the cognitive, affective and social growth and development of a patient in formulating plans of care.
6. Apply principles of epidemiology and statistics to patient care.
7. Recognize patient-focused care that considers a patient's diversity*/intersectional identities** and social determinants of health such as structural racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, transphobia, etc.
8. Apply foundations of therapeutic intervention, including concepts of outcomes, treatments, and prevention, and their relationships to specific disease processes.
9. Analyze, explain and discuss medical knowledge as it applies to effective patient care.

Corresponding Competency Module

Critical Appraisal and Quality Improvement (CAQI)

Graduates are prepared to practice medicine within the context of society and its expectations. They use evidence-based approaches, demonstrating proficiency with information retrieval and critical appraisal of the medical literature to interpret and evaluate experimental and patient care information. They understand the limits of their own personal knowledge, remediate inadequacies to remain current, and integrate increased self-knowledge into their daily activities.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Compare individual patient outcomes to larger studies of similar patient populations.
2. Demonstrate an awareness of and practice ongoing reflection with legal, ethical and/or social issues related to the standards of medical practice through ongoing reflection.
3. Use informatics to access and use current, relevant, and innovative educational materials from reliable sources.
4. Apply quality improvement practices to improve patient safety.
5. Critically assess articles in professional journals and other educational resources.
6. Contribute to the creation, dissemination, application and translation of new health care knowledge and practices.
7. Recognize own limitations, admit error, and improve behavior when provided with constructive feedback.

Corresponding Competency Module

Interpersonal and Communication Skills (ICS)

Graduates demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange, cooperation, and collaboration with patients, patients’ families, and professional associates. They promote health behaviors through counseling of individual patients and their families, and through public education and action.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Create and sustain a therapeutic and ethically sound relationship that involves shared decision making with patients, their families and their support network.
2. Elicit information using patient-centered listening skills.
3. Communicate using effective nonverbal, explanatory, questioning and writing skills.
4. Document and present patient data and clinical information in an organized, accurate, timely and understandable manner.
5. Encourage patients’ health and wellness through appropriate education and counseling.

Corresponding Competency Module

Professionalism (P)

Graduates exemplify a professional character that is committed to carrying out professional responsibilities, adhering to ethical principles, and demonstrating sensitivity to diverse patient populations. They are altruistic and compassionate in caring for patients and at all times act with integrity, honesty, and respect for patients’ privacy and for the dignity of patients as persons. Graduates are advocates for improving access to care for everyone. They are committed to working collaboratively with the health care team, and acknowledge and respect the roles of other health professionals. 

Graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate sensitivity, honesty and compassion, with insight and understanding of human emotions and responses, including difficult conversations (i.e. death, end-of-life, adverse events, etc.)
2. Respect the individual diversity*/intersectional identities** of all team members including but not limited to  patients, interprofessional colleagues, peers, staff, and faculty.
3. Respect the confidentiality, privacy, dignity of patients, peers and faculty.
4. Show integrity and accountability in all interactions with patients, their families and professional colleagues.
5. Demonstrate responsiveness to the needs of patients that supersedes self-interest while balancing the need for self-care.
6. Demonstrate self-confidence in their ability at the expected level that puts patients, families and health care team members at ease.
7. Demonstrate a commitment to uphold ethical principles.
8. Demonstrate understanding of, and collaboratively participate in, interprofessional teams that support patient-centered care.
9. Maintain a teachable attitude, including giving and receiving constructive feedback, being present and accountable, prepared and engaged.   
10. Respect the physical and emotional limits of professional relationships.

Corresponding Competency Module

Societal Awareness and Responsiveness (SAR)

Graduates demonstrate awareness of and responsiveness to the large context and system of health care. They are able to effectively call on system resources to provide optimal care. Graduates are able to work with patients both as individuals and as members of communities and take this into account when performing risk assessments, diagnosing illnesses, making treatment plans and considering the public health implications of their work.

Graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of how decisions and actions, and implicit biases of physicians, healthcare professionals and organizations, and the larger society affect each other and contribute to health inequities.
2. Identify how types of medical practice and delivery systems differ from one another.
3. Demonstrate the ability to practice cost-effective health care and resource allocation that does not compromise quality of care.
4. Discuss appropriate ways to advocate for equitable and just quality patient care and access for all populations, especially those that are under-resourced and historically marginalized.
5. Consider the impact of coordination of care on health outcomes and system performance.
6. Recognize the physician’s and other health professionals’ roles and responsibilities in providing evidence- based preventive services to individuals and populations.
7. Acquire relevant information about the health of populations and mobilize appropriate community-based resources and services to optimize health.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of the organization, financing and distribution of health care, including knowledge of the systems and structures responsible for inequitable distribution of health resources, and consider options to advance health equity.
9. Demonstrate leadership in the promotion of improved health or healthcare of the community.

Corresponding Competency Module

*‘Diversity’ is understood to include all identities and differences including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender identity/expression, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, socioeconomic status, educational backgrounds and geographic region.

**Intersectionality: “Leading feminist and social justice theories and practices acknowledge that intersectionality, first coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, as legal terminology to recognize the unique experiences and legal challenges of Black women, whom as a group experienced both racism and sexism. It is the ongoing examination of the overlapping systems of oppression and discrimination that communities face based on race, gender, ethnicity, ability, etc. It is our role to continuously examine the multiple forms and kinds of intersectional exclusions. The call for an anti-racist health care system — one which recognizes and addresses the intersectionality of systems of oppression — amplifies every day.” (AAMC. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Competencies Across the Learning Continuum. AAMC New and Emerging Areas in Medicine Series. Washington, DC: AAMC; 2022.)