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Educational Objectives

The medical school Educational Objectives have undergone extensive revision by an ad hoc committee of the MECC to reflect the evolving role of physician competencies in curricular content. These objectives were approved by the MECC in November 2019 and reviewed by the MECC in September 2021. They have been mapped to Physician Competency Reference Set, EPA's, and ACGME Competencies. We anticipate that you will find them very practical and useful as you use them to inform the review, improvement and design of our curriculum.

Patient Care

All students will demonstrate the ability to provide patient-centered care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health as part of the inter-professional team.

1.01 Gather essential and accurate information about patients and their conditions through history-taking, physical examination, and the use of laboratory data, imaging, and other tests.
1.02 Perform general procedures of the physician.
1.03 Develop and carry out patient management plans that are safe, effective and efficient.
1.04 Counsel and educate patients and their families to empower them to participate in their care and enable shared decision making.
1.05 Provide fiscally responsible health care services to patients, families, and communities aimed at preventing health problems or maintaining health.

Knowledge for Practice

All students will demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care.

2.01 Apply knowledge of normal human structure and function and of the pathophysiology that underlies their disruption.
2.02 Demonstrate the ability to interpret and apply results of diagnostic tests, imaging, screening procedures, and epidemiologic data.
2.03 Obtain knowledge of the social, behavioral, and economic factors that influence health and apply this knowledge to patient care.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

All students will demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.

3.01 Communicate effectively with patients, families, colleagues and the public through oral and written means.
3.02 Work effectively in a team as a member or leader.
3.03 Provide leadership skills to enhance team functioning, promote effective multidisciplinary patient care, and develop trust within teams.
3.04 Demonstrate emotional and social intelligence in communications with respect for patient privacy and autonomy.
3.05 Provide appropriate role modeling.
3.06 Perform supervisory responsibilities commensurate with one's roles, abilities, and qualifications.

Personal and Professional Development

All students will adhere to professional standards and demonstrate the qualities required to sustain lifelong personal and professional growth.

4.01 Demonstrate the professional and behavioral attributes of a physician including honesty, integrity, compassion, tolerance, altruism, reliability, and respect for patient confidentiality.
4.02 Incorporate ethical standards in their interactions with patients, colleagues and society and appropriately manage conflicts of interest in order to uphold patient and public trust.
4.03 Incorporate skills for maintenance of personal wellness and professional behavior.
4.04 Recognize limitations in knowledge, skills and attitudes, demonstrating a commitment to lifelong, self-directed learning and self-improvement and incorporating feedback into daily practice.
4.05 Demonstrate responsiveness to change, uncertainty, and iterative processes inherent in complex health care.

Critical thinking and discovery

All students will be able to critically appraise literature, apply knowledge and engage in scholarly activity.

5.01 Demonstrate the critical thinking employed during clinical reasoning to reach a prioritized differential diagnosis in patient encounters.
5.02 Apply the ability to access and critically read, understand, and interpret medical literature, and assess its relevance to patient care.
5.03 Recognize knowledge gaps, formulate testable hypotheses, and participate in effective scholarly activities that can fill identified knowledge gaps.
5.04 Disseminate knowledge gained by scholarly activities to fellow physicians and scientists through oral or written presentations.

Health Care systems and society

All students will demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care.

6.01 Demonstrate the ability to advocate for patients at the individual and society level.
6.02 Demonstrate an understanding of healthcare finance systems including cost awareness and risk-benefit analysis, health care teams, and transitions of care for patients.
6.03 Identify shortcomings and gaps, then develop improvement strategies for health care systems to ensure quality, safety, and value in the delivery of patient care.
6.04 Provide health care with cultural sensitivity and an appreciation for the needs of diverse patient populations, whether based on age, appearance, ethnicity, culture, disability, economic status, gender, or sexual orientation