PURPOSE:This course offers an opportunity for intensive reading of literature, discussion, and reflective writing on the topics of cross cultural communication, physician patient relationships, and the process of students’ professional development. The literature chosen includes a variety of genres, written by physicians and non-physicians, intended to foster discussion;.academic articles, short stories and poems.
COMPETENCIES: At the end of the course, students should be able to 1) identify the ways in which stories and language display personal and cultural values, 2) discuss how patients and physicians use stories to communicate and create meaning, 3) demonstrate awareness of students’ and patients’ attempts to create meaning through stories. Readings selected will allow for reflection on the influence of culture and cultural “difference” on physician patient communication.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: Students will participate in seminars in which reading assignments focused on cross cultural issues and the physician patient relationship will be discussed. Students will be asked to assist in leading discussions based on these readings. Short essays about students own patient encounters will also be required. Through discussion and writing, students will examine their own relationships with patients, the definition of culture and the role that cultural difference may play in communication.
Required Readings:
There are required readings: Some of these will be read together in class, others will be assigned as Pre-Class Readings
“Anthropology in the Clinic: The Problem of Cultural Competency and How to Fix It.” Kleinmann A., Benson, P. PLOS Medicine, volume 3, issue 10, October 2006. Regaining our Humanity Through Story” Sierpina, V.S. et al, Explore, volume 3, no. 6, 2007.
“The Physician as Storyteller” Verghese, A., Annals of Internal Medicine Vol. 135, issue 11,2001
“A Well-Worn Path” by Eudora Welty
“Brute” and “Mercy” by Richard Selzer
Selected Chapters from ““The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative” by H. Porter Abbott
Selected Poems from “Ten Patients and Another” by Rafael Campo
“Indian Camp” by Ernest Hemingway
“The Bean Eaters” by Gwendolyn Brooks
“The Death of Bed 12” by Kanafani
ASSESSMENT: Evaluation will be based on students’ participation and preparedness for class, their writing and analysis of daily readings, and the pre and post-course writing assignment. Evaluation will be broken down as follows: 20% brief in-class reading response papers, 30% pre and post-course writing assignment, 50% class participation and attendance.
Because the course will be used as a resource for the course director’s Master’s in Health Professions’ Education thesis, the course evaluation (for purpose of research) will take the form of qualitative analysis of students’ reflective writings. IRB approval has been obtained and the consent form has been created (to be shared with committee at committee’s discretion).
Audiotape of class discussion is currently planned (and has been approved by IRB and is addressed in the consent form) as a means of gathering data.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:
Program Number: ELEC 634
Location: UICMC
Duration: 2 weeks
Lectures/Conferences: 8 sessions of 2 hours each.
No call
Independent Reading/Writing: 16-24 hours (2-3 hours of out of class preparation for each session for 8 sessions)
Weekends : No
Outpatient : N/A
Students Accepted: Min. 4 Max.12
Inpatient: N/A
Required texts: As listed above.
Total Hours per Week: 16-20 (4 2 hour class sessions per week, plus approximately 2-3 hours of out of class preparation for each session).