Exposing medical students to expanding populations

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Communication
• Patient Advocacy

Background:

• Physicians must advocate for patients using science while ensuring equal access to care.
• A persistent communication gap exists between physicians and patients.
• The Institute for the Public Understanding of Health and Medicine at Rutgers University is addressing this gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe two new programs aimed at improving physician-patient communication.
• To evaluate the impact of these programs on medical students, faculty, and underserved patients.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a legacy lecture series for medical students.
• An international "experience" program in Huancayo, Peru, for students and faculty.
• Continuation and description of the MiniMed outreach program, empowering patients to communicate with clinicians.

Main Results:

• The programs aim to enhance the physician-patient relationship and improve healthcare outcomes.
• Focus on empowering patients, particularly underserved populations, for more effective communication.
• The MiniMed program, in its ninth year, has a proven track record.

Conclusions:

• New educational initiatives at Rutgers Medical School are designed to bridge the physician-patient communication gap.
• These programs seek to improve health equity and patient outcomes through enhanced communication skills for both clinicians and patients.