Citation

King J, Taylor J. Adv. Med. Educ. Pract. 2023; 14: 237-244.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Dove Press)

DOI

10.2147/AMEP.S397211

PMID

36945676

PMCID

PMC10024877

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: With the ever-growing diversity within our communities, it is imperative that we integrate social determinants of health (SDOH) such as racial disparity, economic instability, lack of transportation, intimate partner violence, and limited social supports, and the importance of health literacy into undergraduate medical education. By incorporating evidence-based curriculum on the disproportionality within healthcare faced by racial and ethnic minorities, we have the opportunity to develop more culturally sensitive providers. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a case-based debrief experience on medical students' knowledge about how social determinants of health can impact health and healthcare within a family medicine clinical setting and their intent to practice in an underserved community.

METHODS: We utilized a retrospective paired-sample t-test analysis of program data from 640 third-year medical students who engaged in a family medicine clerkship between July 2020, and April 2022. For inclusion in the study, students must have engaged in a case-based exercise and corresponding small group debrief around the impact of social determinants of health on patient care.

RESULTS: We found a statistically significant improvement in students' reported knowledge about SDOH, as well as the confidence and intent to work with and care for individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

CONCLUSION: Medical students must have the knowledge and self-efficacy to understand how social determinants of health can impact health and healthcare within a family medicine clinical setting. As a result of integrating more active learning strategies such as the case-base and debrief experience, students may have a more robust medical education experience.

Language: en

Keywords

education; social determinants of health; vulnerable populations; medical; patient care; problem-based learning