Off to a Jump Start: Using Immersive Activities to Integrate Continuity Clinic and Advocacy

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health Advocacy
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Advocacy training is crucial for graduate medical education.
• Existing models for advocacy training are varied.
• Limited research exists on immersive advocacy integrated into continuity clinics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an Integrated Community Health and Child Advocacy Curriculum (ICHCA).
• To integrate immersive and contextualized advocacy activities within a continuity clinic setting.
• To orient interns to continuity clinic early in their training.

Main Methods:

• Utilized socio-constructivist theory, Kern's Six-step model, and curriculum mapping.
• Implemented the ICHCA with 20 residents in 2019.
• Evaluated stakeholder feedback using Kirkpatrick's four-level model pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated improvements in learner satisfaction, knowledge, and behaviors regarding clinical advocacy.
• Achieved high response rates from attendings (70%), support staff (75%), and residents (72.5%).
• The intervention proved feasible, cost-effective, and required no additional resources, relying on real-time learning.

Conclusions:

• An integrated advocacy curriculum using mapping tools is feasible and valuable.
• The ICHCA model shows improvements in reaction, knowledge, and behaviors.
• This approach enhances understanding of social responsibility and is adaptable for other residency programs.