Patient-centered Medicine Scholars Program
The UIC College of Medicine’s Patient-centered Medicine (PCM) Scholars Program is the first training program of its kind to explicitly focus on training medical students to provide patient-centered care for all patients, including the vulnerable and underserved. Beginning in the M1 year, under the supervision of primary care clinical preceptors, students have the opportunity to work closely with a diverse group of patients.
Patient-Centered Care Overview Heading link
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What is patient-centered care?
Health care that establishes a partnership among practitioners, patients and their families (when appropriate) to ensure that decisions respect patients’ wants, needs and preferences.
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Why is it important?
A patient-centered approach leads to greater patient satisfaction and compliance, improved outcomes, reduction in unnecessary services
greater physician fulfillment, and reduced malpractice claims.All these improvements come without significant increases in time and money.
Unique aspects of the PCM Scholars Program Heading link
Over the course of their medical school training, students will have the opportunity to……
- Directly assist their preceptors in the care of patients, beginning in the M1 year;
follow selected patients over time - Work closely with underserved patients in one of five areas of concentration, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, domestic violence, immigrant & refugee health, and geriatrics
- Assist patients in navigating the healthcare system and utilizing community resources to improve their health and well being
- Learn new concepts of clinical care, e.g., group visits and patient self-management
- Learn to collaborate with health care professionals from other disciplines.
PCM Scholars who successfully complete at least 2 of the following 3 program components – M1, M2, M4* – will receive a certificate of accomplishment.
*To be eligible to participate in the M4 component, Scholars must have completed the M2 component.
Message From the Director Heading link
Becoming a physician is an intricate process. Learning the art of medicine is as essential as learning the science. Central to this art is acquiring the wisdom and skill to work collaboratively with patients, in order to truly understand and meet their needs.
In our quest to train physicians who are committed, compassionate and responsive to the needs of our diverse and evolving patient populations, the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine offers the Patient-centered Medicine (PCM) Scholars Program, one of the first in the nation to explicitly train students to practice patient-centered care.
The Program affords students selected as PCM Scholars a unique opportunity to work with culturally and socioeconomically diverse patients, from the M1 through the M4 years. This educational endeavor is an outstanding example of a curricular innovation that draws upon the passions and motivations of students, the knowledge and expertise of our multi-faceted faculty, and creates learning experiences that directly benefit patients.
If you think “patient-centered care” should be a priority in health care, we welcome you to come join the next generation of physicians who are learning to provide care with this orientation.
Sincerely,
Memoona Hasnain, MD, MHPE, PhD