Development and Implementation of a Medical School Course Integrating Basic, Clinical, and Health Systems Sciences.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Systems Science
• Clinical Reasoning

Background:

• Integrating basic science and clinical medicine is advancing, but a gap exists in incorporating health systems science (HSS).
• Core clerkships offer a prime environment for integrating basic science, clinical medicine, and HSS.
• Students can observe the practical application of HSS within their clinical learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of the Sciences and Art of Medicine Integrated (SAMI) course.
• To integrate basic science and health systems science (HSS) with clinical medicine during the clerkship year.
• To provide students with tools and examples for cognitively integrating these three pillars of medical education.

Main Methods:

• The SAMI course was designed to run parallel to the clerkship year.
• Detailed planning, implementation, participant, and setting information are provided.
• Students used specific tools, illustrated with an obstructive sleep apnea case, to integrate basic science, HSS, and clinical medicine.

Main Results:

• The SAMI course was successfully implemented.
• Student reception to the course was positive.

Conclusions:

• The SAMI course represents a significant step in integrating HSS with basic science and clinical medicine.
• This curriculum advances the training of future clinicians in delivering high-value care.
• Future efforts should focus on validating measures of clinical reasoning that assess integrated thinking in basic science, HSS, and clinical medicine.