The Certificate of Distinction (COD) in Service of Community is an optional four-year curriculum for enrolled medical students which is intended to increase familiarity with patient populations that typically experience worse-than-average health outcomes and to enhance student involvement within the Phoenix community. This program incorporates mentorship, community service, seminars, a journal club for critical appraisal of literature, a clinical elective experience, and scholarly/research work to strengthen students’ leadership skills and to develop community-responsive physicians. The curriculum includes an emphasis on developing cultural humility caring for people who are uninsured or underinsured, those with low socioeconomic status, and people with low literacy levels.
There are 3 focus areas within the COD SC which allow students to tailor their COD experience beyond participating in the general COD SC:
- Population Focus: this focus allows students to enhance their understanding of unique health challenges facing a population with worse-than-average health outcomes. Some examples might include care of rural populations, care of spanish speakers, care of sexual orientation and gender diverse people, care of refugees and migrants, among others.
- Health promotion: this focus allows students to focus on physical activity, nutrition, mental health, and wellness, with a particular emphasis on people experiencing systemic barriers to health.
- Advocacy: this focus allows students to develop effective skills to advocate at the systems-level within hospitals, health systems and government for evidence-based public health interventions for their communities.