Dr. Clark, our guest speaker, will focus on the academic and inspiration
aspects of interdisciplinary education programs and their value to the education
of health professions students.
Interdisciplinary Education for Teamwork in the Health Professions: What
it is and Why it is Important ?
Dr. Clark's presentation
Discussion
Dr. Clark was asked if he used Myers-Briggs to get started. He used that as
well as a lot of additional assessment tools.
Some faculty disagreed wtih the concept and thought it to be artificial. Other
faculty thought the team concept was essential, especially for residents. Still
another comment was that the greatest barrier in having successful teams is
the pecking order we have within our system. Two of 10 students perceive that
you don't ask questions of a nurse, but go back to the attending. They lose
sight of where their real education is going to occur because they get caught
up in the "pecking" order. Another comment was that, as Dr. Clark
stated, the M.D. is the conductor of the orchestra.
Dr. Clark states that in a clinical setting, he observed that physicians are
going to be leaders and are not always comfortable with that, and are not trained
for that role. Social workers are the real team leaders but are likewise not
always trained to be leaders. We need to put people into situations during their
education so that they won't have to learn this on their own, but as a group.
It was noted that each professor has his/her own unique responsibility. Faculty
are too focused on doing and not reflecting. In no part of the curriculum do
we teach group dynamics, as stated by Dr. Small. As a group we are ignorant
about the tools used. Another comment from a faculty member was that even if
it happens (learning in a multidisciplinary unit) doesn't mean students learn
from it.
Dr. Clark recommended the book: The Missing Voice in Education by Marilyn
M. Cohn, Robert B. Kottkamp. There is an article in this book on health care
decision-making. It makes a difference in outcomes. The challenge is: how do
we sustain the change.
Dr. Harrell was asked to relate to the committee on the reflective exercise
she is working on and she commented that she asks the students to keep a student
portfolio during their medical clerkship and write down things that are good
or bad in a few sentences. It can be done anonymously. Students meet in groups
of 6 where these comments are shared. This generates a lot of discussion. Most
of the students have found it valuable in reflecting.
Bill Allen states that he asks his class how their mind has changed on an issue
in his ethics class. The insights from that are far more valuable for telling
him how the course affects the students.
Dr. Watson reports that the College of Medicine has a real commitment to this
idea of reflection. The Maren Reading Room is a place for sitting and reflecting;
not a study or a lounge.
The Keeping Families Healthy course is a source of reflection for students.
The students enjoy talking to each other. Four colleges of the Health Science
Center (Medicine, Dentistry, Health Professions, and Pharmacy) have provided
institutional support for the Keeping Families Healthy program for the next
2 years, and we will continue to need the support of the COM faculty in teaching
and supporting this novel program.
Meeting adjourned at 8:51 a.m. Next meeting will be the Curriculum Retreat held
at the Sheraton Hotel on February 10, from 8:15-1:00. There will be
no meeting on January 28, 2003.