Course Director: Lesly T. Mega, MD Coordinator: Carolyn Sherrod
Emphasis on communication, behavior, and compliance in the doctor-patient relationship and the biopsychosocial model in understanding illness.
Spring [January - May] 50 hours, (16 lecture, 34 small group), 2 exams
Text:
Human Behavior - An Introduction for Medical Students, 3rd ed ,Stoudemire
Overview:
The course will endorse a universally held public health concept. This concept explains that behavior - including that of patients, physicians, and the community-plays a central role in the prevention, incidence, prevalence, manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of illness.
Objectives:
The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of:
- behavior and its application to patient care
- facilitating the prevention, early diagnosis and effective treatment of illness
- the biological, psychological, and social components of the patient's care
- behavioral finding with neurochemistry and brain sites and pathways
- behavioral techniques to help alleviate patient problems
- the ego defense mechanisms manifested in a patient's history
- the social factors that influence a patient who present with a sickness
- the social behaviors, feelings and thoughts associated with stages of the "normal" human life cycle
- the influence of the patient's sex on the person's behavior and on the doctor-patient relationship
- attitude & planning involved in the dying patient's care
- brain imaging techniques to identify abnormalities in psychiatrically ill patients
- how psychotherapy can contribute to patients with a behavioral or emotional component of their illness
- a patient's suicide risk and the initial care you will provide
- the patient's risk for violence and the initial care you would provide
- the normal sleep cycle
- how a person's attitude and personality traits affect the outcome of his/her illness
- the psychological aspects of chronic illness or disability
- the ethical issues related to the patient's care
- the legal, financial and delivery aspects of patient care
Format:
This semester's sessions on Monday and Friday will begin with a 30-minute lecture given primarily by the psychiatrists on our faculty. The lectures will be followed by 50-minute small group discussions.
Function Of Lectures:
The lectures will highlight or summarize the topic or illustrate pertinent points with patient examples. The lectures, reading assignments, and case vignettes will serve as a stimulus for discussion in your seminar groups. You must read the reading assignments before coming to class so that the lecture will make sense to you and so that you can make good use of the seminar time.
Function Of Small Group:
The seminar leaders have been asked to lead/facilitate their group through some or all of the following: by reviewing the lecture and/or reading assignment, discussing student questions, sharing their or your professional and/or personal understanding and experiences with the topic.
