Search

Purpose: It is unclear whether academic health centers are successfully addressing societal needs and expectations by preparing students with knowledge and skills in disease prevention and health promotion. The authors assessed whether students were exposed to key content in these areas and whether they felt this exposure was adequate., Method: All components of the first three years of the Case Western Reserve University (Case) curriculum were examined in 2001 to create a curricular map, using competencies in disease prevention and health promotion identified by the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine (ATPM) as a template to assess the scope of instruction. Case students' United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 2 subscores in preventive medicine and health maintenance from 1994 to 2000 and graduating seniors' assessment of the adequacy of their training were compared to national data from the Association of American Medical Colleges' 2000 Graduation Questionnaire (GQ)., Results: Most content areas identified by ATPM were present in the Case curriculum and were offered frequently in a variety of educational venues over the first three years. USMLE scores increased nationally and at Case from 1994 to 2000 and Case students' perception of training adequacy in preventive medicine and health promotion was comparable to national ratings from the 2000 GQ., Conclusions: Broad and frequent exposure to disease prevention and health promotion core competencies has value, but may not sufficiently prepare students to deliver health-promoting services confidently. Creative curricula highlighting prevention's relevance throughout clinical practice and incorporating formal opportunities to apply knowledge and build experience may result in greater success.

To encourage pursuit of focused academic and clinical interest by family practice residents, we developed an Area of Concentration (AOC) program at a university-based residency program. The program uses resources available throughout the university and permits residents to focus on a variety of interest areas, including geriatrics, women's health, sports medicine, international health, behavioral medicine, and others. These AOCs are not fellowships but special longitudinal training experiences that occur throughout the duration of a standard residency program. Residents who have participated in our AOC program have become involved in research, published papers, and been invited to present their work at state and national meetings.