Budget Updates

On Tuesday, December 23rd, UCSF Chancellor, Michael Bishop, issued a statement about the current budget situation at UCSF. In his statement he announced the launch of a website devoted to budgetary communications for UCSF.

Keep up to date on issues impacting the financial state of UCSF at http://www.budget.ucsf.edu/

Update on Joint Medical Program

The Joint Medical Program is a 5-year Master of Science/MD Program. The first three years of the Program are spent on the Berkeley campus, completing the preclinical science curriculum required for MD licensure and elective coursework in support of health-related master's thesis. A minimum of 20 units is required for the MS degree. Courses may be selected from any campus department. The MS degree is offered in Health and Medical Sciences (HMS).

Upon satisfactory completion of the preclinical MD curriculum, elective courses, and thesis, students take the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam, Step I. Successful students transfer to UCSF where they complete two years of clinical clerkships. Upon satisfactory completion of this phase of the program students are awarded the MD degree.

At the Wednesday, December 17 Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy (CCEP) meeting, Kevin Mack, MD, Director of Educational Technology for the JMP and former Director of Curriculum, gave and update on the program.

Highlights included a review of the curriculum; a discussion of cross-campus synergies; the strengthening of Professionalism as a competency; and the tracking of content acquisition. He concluded by noting that "new models of further interweaving basic and clinical science learning present both opportunities and challenges to the JMP."

To learn more about the Joint Medical Program visit http://jmp.berkeley.edu/

Third Year Students Wrap Up Clinical Performance Exam II

The mini CPX 2 (Clinical Performance Examination) was administered to 148 third year UCSF students from November 19th thru December 8th, 2008. The exam took place at the Clinical Skills Center at Mt. Zion. During the exam students rotated through 3 patient stations while conducting their clinical and communication skills. From this experience the students received:

• mid-year feedback on their history-taking, physical exam and communication skills.
• feedback directly from standardized patients about their communication skills.
• a 60 minute teaching exercise covering physical exam skills and chronic disease management.
• practice for the ‘real’ CPX, an 8 station standardized patient exam that is administered to all UCSF students at the end of the core clerkship year.
• practice for the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills Examination (standardized patient portion of the Boards)

After the students completed three patient encounters they attended a one hour teaching session with faculty where they were able to debrief about the cases they just encountered and where physical exam and patient/physician interaction skills were reinforced.
All the encounters were videotaped and, at the end of the exam, students receive a copy of their DVD to keep and review with a faculty member for further learning and feedback.

Teaching and Learning Center Reaches 95% Construction Document Phase

The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) being planned for the second floor of the Parnassus Library has reached the "95% Construction Document" phase. The Construction Documents (CD) phase is the last stage of the design process. Our design team at Harley, Ellis, Devereaux are focused on finalizing the drawings and specifications for all components and systems of the building producing the Contract Documents. A complete set of Contract Documents provides a comprehensive, fully coordinated set of construction documents and specifications a contractor can use to provide costs estimates, obtain necessary permits and construct the project.

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When the construction documents are 95% complete, we review the drawings for content and provide final comments. Changes to the scope or program after completion of the CD incur budget impacts and schedule delays.

The 95% construction documents are available for review in the Office of Medical Education (C-254).

New Competences and Learning Portfolio Website

The Communications Working Group of the Portfolio Oversight Committee has posted a new description of the Competencies in medical student education along with a description of how learning portfolios will support the documentation of competency achievement.

UCSF’s medical curriculum provides a set of educational experiences designed to support students’ mastery of the core knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to achieve their goals as physicians, researchers, teachers, and public servants.

Throughout the UCSF curriculum, medical students’ achievement of specific, required competencies is assessed through a variety of methods that include written and laboratory practical examinations, structured clinical examinations, instructor and peer assessments, and self-reflection exercises.

UCSF is in the process of developing a set of tools students can use to create a “learning portfolio" that helps document their achievement of expected levels of competency and that supports their work with mentors to map out an individualized learning plan. The following is a list of the program objectives for the UCSF doctor of medicine curriculum.

• Patient Care
• Medical Knowledge
• Practice-Based Learning & Improvement
• Interpersonal & Communication Skills
• Professionalism
• Systems-Based Practice

What is a learning portfolio?

It is a longitudinal, professional development tool that stimulates learners to select, record, and organize their learning; reflect and receive feedback on their professional development; and exhibit their efforts, progress or achievement. A learning portfolio explains the criteria for selection of materials to be included (called artifacts) and includes evidence of learner reflection.

For more information.
http://medschool.ucsf.edu/curriculum/competencies/
http://medschool.ucsf.edu/curriculum/competencies/learning_portfolio.aspx

Joe Crawford & Sara Clemons Creating Excellence through Teaching Awards

Teaching Awards are an opportunity for students to recognize teaching excellence in the SOM and thank faculty in a formal, public venue for contributions to their medical education.

In the past the Essential Core Teaching Award Ceremony has recognized faculty from the first and second year courses in one large spring event. This year we will split the ceremonies into two separate events: the Class of 2011 Awards in April and the Class of 2012 Awards in August as part of the existing welcome back activities.

The Office of Student Affairs and the Evaluations Team have taken on a collaborative management approach for these two events. As their first step, Joe Crawford and Sara Clemons, with help from their teams, developed a detailed agreement outlining project goals and task distribution. This document will serve as a guide for sharing workload and ensure clear communication throughout the planning process. Sara will manage all event related tasks for both ceremonies. Joe will continue to manage the nomination and selection process for the Essential Core Teaching Awards as well as the Kaiser Excellence in Teaching Awards.

We anticipate that the cost savings from the reduced scale of two smaller separate events and the distribution of effort over a less concentrated time frame will result in a more effective approach without diluting the significance of our Teaching Awards programs.

If anyone you work with in Medical Education is creating excellence by improving Medical Education services or employee well-being let us know! Contact Christina at cicoletti@medsch.usf.edu.

Holiday Office Closure

The office of Medical Education will be closed from December 24 through January 2nd. We will reopen on January 5th.

Scott Brackett Joins Medical Education, Kanbar Simulation Center and Clinical Skills Center

Scott Brackett starts Monday, December 8th, as the full time Simulation Technician in the Kanbar Simulation and Clinical Skills Center.

Scott started with the Kanbar Center as a 50% staff resource when the Center opened in late 2007. Scott’s professional knowledge and experience in digital video and EMT-B certification will benefit the development and support of the simulation programs to be offered to the Schools at UCSF.

Scott’s office is located at 2200 Post Street, Suite C-322 in the Hellman building at Mount Zion. Please feel free to contact Scott to welcome him to Medical Education.

Josh Talley Creating Excellence

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank Josh Talley for his dedication and hard work over the past several months while we have been recruiting for the OCBE Manager.

Josh has single handedly kept OCBE running, and we appreciate the fact that not only was he able to keep the program going, but he accomplished this with a positive attitude, warm heart, and a sense of humor.

Please join us in thanking Josh for creating excellence in Medical Education.

If anyone you work with in Medical Education is creating excellence by improving Medical Education services or employee well-being let us know! Contact Christina at cicoletti@medsch.usf.edu.

Christina Lum Joins Community Based Education

Christina Lum
Originally uploaded by Kevin.Souza

Christina comes to us from Stanford where she has worked for the past 6 years, the last two as the Study Coordinator/Manager of the Stanford Patient Education Research Center. She brings to OCBE program management, health education, outreach and training experience.

Christina's office is located in the Medical Education China Basin Landing Suite 5350. Please feel free to contact Christina to welcome her to Medical Education.