Health Policy and the Practice of Medicine

Health Policy and the Practice of Medicine January 4, 2007 8:30 am – 4:15 pm Amphitheater II

Introduction:

Welcome to the Health Policy and the Practice of Medicine Interclerkship! This course is required of all third-year medical students. It will cover a number of issues concerning the evolving health care system. Healthcare will be in turmoil for the foreseeable future and it is important for all students to understand the basic concepts of the healthcare system and how these will impact on their future. This one-day, interactive symposium will hopefully answer many of your questions about healthcare delivery in this turbulent healthcare marketplace.

Course Information:

Faculty for the Interclerkship Course include medical school and community-based practitioners who work in a variety of clinical settings. This course is designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to help you understand some of the forces that impact on health care.

Course Format:

The format of this course will be a mixture of didactic lectures, panel discussions, and a small group workshop. A schedule is attached.

Course Materials & Assignments:

Enclosed are several recommended articles for you to read and other information pertinent to the course and useful for continued reference. Course Objectives

The overall goal of this Interclerkship is to provide students with a detailed understanding of key health policy issues that may affect their future practice. In addition, it is expected that the Interclerkship will provide students with a knowledge base with which to advocate for both for their patients and for health policy change at the local and national level.

By the end of the Interclerkship the student will:

 Acquire the necessary background and knowledge to be better prepared as an advocate for both the patient and health policy change

 Be aware of the key policy issues currently impacting healthcare, such as pay for performance, quality of care, and the emergence of new forms of health insurance

 Gain an appreciation for the physician’s role in controlling healthcare costs

 Understand the role of primary care and access in today’s healthcare setting

Requirements and Grading

Requirements and Grading:

The course will be graded as Credit/No Credit.

To receive credit, all of the following are required:

1. Attendance and participation for the entire day. Students will be required to sign in and participate in the small group session.

2. Students will be required to fill out a short course evaluation form. Feedback is extremely important in helping us to improve the Interclerkship on Health Policy and the Practice of Medicine for subsequent years.

 For more information about this Interclerkship, please visit http://www.umassmed.edu/healthpolicy/education/index.aspx Thank you for your participation!