Three Things to Do With Stories: Using Literature in Medical, Health Professions, and Interprofessional Education

Cinemeducation: A mixed methods study on learning through reflective thinking, perspective taking and emotional narratives

INTRODUCTION

Cinemeducation describes the use of film in medical education. The M23 Cinema (M23C) comprises a film screening and subsequent discussion with experts, affected persons and the audience. Previous research suggests that participating in cinemeducation may affect emotions and attitudes. This study aimed to establish a conceptual framework and explore when learning takes place, how learning occurs and what participants learn during the M23C.

METHODS

Informed by focused literature searches, discussions of the authors and the research results, a conceptual framework of the M23C was developed, comprising three dimensions (five distinct phases, learning methodology and potential impact). A mixed method study was undertaken, employing an exploratory sequential design. Initially, the qualitative component was conducted by interviewing everyone involved, comprising focus groups, expert interviews, a group interview and one narrative interview. All qualitative data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The qualitative findings were used to inform the development of a survey among the participants of M23C evenings. The survey results were analysed descriptively. The findings generated by both data sets were integrated using the "following a thread" protocol and visualised by joint displays.

RESULTS

In total, 15 participants in M23C courses, six members of the current and two of the former organising committee, two experts, two affected persons and the initiator of the M23C were included in the qualitative component (n = 28). A total of 503 participants responded to the survey. The qualitative data confirmed the relevance of the five phases and participants described reflective thinking, perspective taking and emotional narratives as the three dimensions of how they learned during the M23C. Participants reported a change in attitudes, enriching their knowledge, experiencing empathy and learning about other health professions.

DISCUSSION

Our findings suggest that the M23C as a cinemeducation course provides a unique learning environment in the training of health professionals.

The design and implementation of a longitudinal social medicine curriculum at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine

BACKGROUND

Despite an abundant literature advocating that social determinants of health (SDH) be taught during undergraduate medical education, there are few detailed descriptions of how to design and implement longitudinal core curricula that is delivered to all students and accomplishes this goal.

METHODS

In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a social medicine curriculum at the University of Vermont's Larner College of Medicine (UVM Larner). Using Kern's principles, we designed a longitudinal curriculum that extends through both preclinical and clinical training for all students and focused on integrating SDH material directly into basic science and clinical training.

RESULTS

We successfully developed and implemented two primary tools, a "Social Medicine Theme of the Week" (SMTW) in preclinical training, and SDH rounds in the clinical setting to deliver SDH content to all learners at UVM Larner.

CONCLUSIONS

Extensive student-faculty partnerships, robust needs assessment, and focusing on longitudinal and integrated SDH content delivery to all students were key features that contributed to successful design and implementation.

Remembering Freddie Gray: Medical Education for Social Justice

Recent attention to racial disparities in law enforcement, highlighted by the death of Freddie Gray, raises questions about whether medical education adequately prepares physicians to care for persons particularly affected by societal inequities and injustice who present to clinics, hospitals, and emergency rooms. In this Perspective, the authors propose that medical school curricula should address such concerns through an explicit pedagogical orientation. The authors detail two specific approaches-antiracist pedagogy and the concept of structural competency-to construct a curriculum oriented toward appropriate care for patients who are victimized by extremely challenging social and economic disadvantages and who present with health concerns that arise from these disadvantages. In memory of Freddie Gray, the authors describe a curriculum, outlining specific strategies for engaging learners and naming specific resources that can be brought to bear on these strategies. The fundamental aim of such a curriculum is to help trainees and faculty understand how equitable access to skilled and respectful health care is often denied; how we and the institutions where we learn, teach, and work can be complicit in this reality; and how we can work toward eliminating the societal injustices that interfere with the delivery of appropriate health care.