The IOM report Improving Medical Education: Enhancing the Behavioral and Social Science Content of Medical School Curricula has now been released in pre-publication format.
Patricia A. Cuff, Neal Vanselow, Editors, Committee on Behavioral and Social Sciences in Medical School Curricula
Roughly
half of all deaths in the United States are linked to behavioral and social
factors. The leading causes of preventable death and disease in the United States
are smoking, sedentary lifestyle, along with poor dietary habits, and alcohol
consumption. To make measurable improvements in the health of Americans, physicians
must be equipped with the knowledge and skills from the behavioral and social
sciences needed to recognize, understand, and effectively respond to patients
as individuals, not just to their symptoms.
The Committee on Behavioral and Social Sciences in Medical School Curricula was convened by the Institute of Medicine to provide a critical analysis of the behavioral and social sciences in medical schools today. What are medical schools teaching students about the behavioral and social sciences?
In the report, the committee concluded that there is inadequate information available to sufficiently describe behavioral and social science curriculum content, teaching techniques, and assessment methodologies in U.S. medical schools and recommends development of a new national behavioral and social science database. The committee also recommended that the National Board of Medical Examiners ensure that the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination adequately cover the behavioral and social science subject matter recommended in this report.
The committee recommended:
* Creation of a national database on behavioral and social science curricular content, teaching techniques and assessment methodologies in medical schools.
* Giving medical students an integrated behavioral and social science curriculum throughout the four years of medical school. The committee identified 26 topics that should be included in the curriculum.
* Establishing behavioral and social sciences career development and curriculum development awards to overcome barriers to incorporating such curriculum.
* Increase emphasis on items related to the behavioral and social sciences in the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination.
You can review the prepublication version of the report at the National Academies Press (only one page at a time)
ABSAME has put together a PDF version of Executive Summary of the Pre-Publication version - Click Here
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