- 【Liberal Arts and Sciences Courses Class】
- 【Medical School Specialization Courses】
＜E3 Clinical Communication＞ Eligible Year: 2nd year and above
Course Overview and Objectives
Successful communication helps us better understand people and situations, which is the cornerstone of patient-centered healthcare as well as in a research career. This course aims to develop effective (clear and sensitive) communication skills in English within both clinical and academic contexts.
To achieve this goal, students will first learn and discuss how science communication can be difficult using a non-fiction history. Based on the awareness that each patient has their background and feeling, students will challenge to confront a misinformed patient about medicine/health as a student doctor, involving patient-doctor communication skills.
To make the classroom more intensive and the learning experience more learner-centered so that students can explore topics in greater depth by themselves before/after participating in the classroom, we employ an alternate classroom/self-directed learning (SDL) format. While one group participates in classroom activity, the other group engages in SDL sessions outside the classroom, and vice versa.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1) improve communication skills in English, particularly listening and speaking comprehension.
2) collect and interpret relevant evidence, discuss it with other people, and demonstrate their argument.
3) understand the importance of reflective listening in medical counseling and be able to assimilate some of its principles.
Lesson Plan and Material
The course is run in collaboration with a part-time lecturer, Guita Youssefian, and several international medical graduate students as teaching assistants throughout the course.
[1] Introduction/team assignment/ first try to listen to an episode about science and health/discussion
[2] [3] Program1: Listen to one of the episodes and share it with others
[4] [5] Program2: Listen to one of the episodes and share it with others
[6] [7] Ecaluation1: Summarize the whole story and construct own argument and present it logically
[8] Reflection1
[9] [10]Program3: Reflective listening/Overcoming barriers to empathy
[11][12] Evaluation2: Demonstrate motivational interviewing in brief consultations with misinformed citizens
[13] Reflection2
[14] FUN ENGLISH: Audio /video to improve English conversation
[15] Feedback & Make-up exam (Medical students)
The schedule shown above is for one of the two groups. The other group starts with [14] followed by [2][3]..
＜A2 Early Clinical Exposure 1＞ Eligible Year: 1st year
Course Overview and Objectives
This program is designed for first-year students from the School of Medicine, the Department of Human Health Sciences, and the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. It includes a three-day clinical placement at hospitals and clinics. Students will be organized into interprofessional groups and engage in activities aligned with the objectives outlined below. The program consists of three components: pre-placement sessions, clinical placement, and post-placement workshops. Participation in all components is mandatory.
Objectives of the Clinical Placement
- To understand the expectations placed on future healthcare professionals by observing, participating in, and interacting with physicians and other healthcare workers.
- To develop personal insights into how patients spend their time and what they experience in hospitals and clinics.
- To gain an understanding of how interprofessional teamwork functions in clinical settings, and to learn what considerations and awareness are necessary when working as a healthcare provider.
This program is not lecture-based; it involves practical engagement in real clinical environments. Therefore, students must demonstrate respect for patients and healthcare workers and adhere strictly to proper etiquette and ethical standards. Students are expected to actively explore their own interests and questions regarding healthcare, take initiative during the clinical placement, and engage in meaningful discussions and collaboration with peers from other departments and disciplines.
Learning Goals
- Understand and apply the ethical considerations, common sense, and manners necessary for conducting clinical placements smoothly.
- Develop an understanding of healthcare and hospitals from the patient’s perspective through self-directed learning.
- Learn about the roles, rewards, and challenges of physicians and other healthcare professionals through dialogue with professionals in the field.
- Understand the reality of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare, including the strategies used in practice to facilitate coordination, and reflect on how one wishes to contribute as a future healthcare provider.
- Engage in effective discussions with students from other academic disciplines and gain insight into the essential elements of teamwork in healthcare.
Course Schedule and Content
Pre-placement Session (Interprofessional): Introduction to the objectives of the clinical placement.
Pre-placement Session (Interprofessional): Goal setting, important notes for the placement, group introductions, and coordination of pre-placement study meetings.
Pre-placement Session (School of Medicine): Orientation (purpose of the placement and development of learning goals), communication skills, vital signs and hand hygiene, Humanitude care approach, teamwork, and leadership.
Clinical Placement at Hospitals/Clinics: A three-day clinical placement conducted at medical facilities during the summer vacation period.
Post-placement Workshop (Interprofessional): Presentation and discussion of the outcomes and insights gained during the clinical placement.
＜A3 Early Clinical Exposure 2＞ Eligible Year: 2nd year
Course Overview and Objectives
In this practicum, students will visit courses of interest from our university’s clinical, basic, and social medical science departments. They will conduct interviews with physicians who excel in their respective fields, focusing on their “Career History.” The primary objective is for students to contemplate “what they want to explore as future physicians” and to clarify their goals and plans until graduation from the medical school.
Students will independently select practicum placements from courses offered in the clinical, basic, and social medical science departments, negotiating schedules as needed. The practicum will be conducted in pairs. Initially, students will arrange appointments with physicians who have more than 10 years of experience to conduct approximately one-hour interviews on their “Career History.” Additionally, through participation in research meetings, seminars, and conferences, students will gain insights into the characteristics of the medical field, the role of physicians, the required skills, and the collaborative approach with other professions, understanding these aspects through observation and simple tasks.
The term “Career History” in this course is more comprehensive than a mere “Career Path.” It encapsulates the journey of how the physician arrived at their current career, the beliefs and values supporting their work, and reflections on experiences throughout their career.
Given the practical nature of this course, active engagement and clarification of personal challenges and interests are strongly encouraged. Students are expected to exhibit minimal etiquette and ethical considerations. Furthermore, it is encouraged for students to utilize the insights gained in this practicum as a reference for future independent activities in research labs, the selection of research labs in their fourth year, and their choice of a specialization in their future career.
Learning Objectives
1. Through conducting interviews on the Career History of physicians, clarify what you, as a future physician, aim to achieve after graduation.
2. Understand what abilities and skills can be developed in the field you are interning in, and assess your own aptitude.
3. Through the above points, articulate your goals, challenges, and action plans until the completion of undergraduate education.
4. Demonstrate the ability to understand and practice effective questioning and commentary for successful interviews and discussions.
Lesson Plan and Material
- Pre-Guidance: Understanding the Purpose of the Internship, Considering Preferred Internship Placements, Setting Learning Objectives
- Coordination of Preferred Internship Placements: Negotiation and Registration by Students
- Internship
- Creation of Internship Achievement Reports
＜Pre-clinical training course＞ Eligible Year: 4th year
Course Overview and Objectives
The objective is to acquire fundamental clinical skills before commencing clinical practicum, enhancing the effectiveness of subsequent clinical experiences. The course comprises orientation, various practical training sessions, lectures, self-directed learning, Computer-Based Training (CBT), and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
Learning Objectives
The goal is to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for students participating in participatory clinical practicum.
Lesson Plan and Material
- Orientation
- Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment
- Self-directed Learning
- Common Examinations (CBT/OSCE)
- Patient Safety in Healthcare
- Symptomatology
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (Kampo)
- Electronic Health Record (EHR) Practice
- Group Practicum
