Addressing Interpersonal Violence as a Health Policy Question Using Interprofessional Community Educators

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Health Policy

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) has severe health consequences beyond physical injury, including mental health issues.
• US medical students often lack adequate training in recognizing and managing IPV.
• This tutorial addresses IPV, homelessness, and policy impacts on healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an interprofessional case-based tutorial for third-year medical students on intimate partner violence (IPV).
• To examine the influence of health policy on healthcare delivery and patient choices in IPV cases.
• To assess student confidence in caring for individuals experiencing IPV.

Main Methods:

• A 2-hour case review conducted during a family medicine clerkship.
• Small- and large-group sessions led by interprofessional community experts.
• Utilized Socratic method and provided comprehensive training materials.

Main Results:

• Over 200 students have participated in the training.
• Students reported an average empowerment score of 4.1 out of 5 in caring for IPV survivors.
• The training effectively addressed clinical, public health, and policy aspects of IPV.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional training by community experts is effective for teaching public health and policy.
• This approach improves medical students' understanding of health policy's role in patient outcomes.
• Enhanced student confidence in managing IPV cases was a key outcome.