CLASS

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 course is a hospital practicum for first-year students in the Medical Department, Human Health Science Department, and Pharmaceutical Department of the Medical School. Students will form interdisciplinary groups and engage in hospital practicum activities aligned with the following objectives:

1. Gain an understanding of the expectations for future healthcare professionals through the observation and dialogue with physicians and other healthcare providers.
2. Develop an understanding of how patients spend their time in the hospital, what they feel, and cultivate personal insights and thoughts.
3. Understand how interdisciplinary team healthcare functions and become aware of what healthcare providers need to devise and be conscious of in their roles.

 This course is not lecture-based; it centers around practical training in healthcare settings and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students are strongly encouraged to discover their own interests and challenges in healthcare, act accordingly, respect healthcare professionals and patients in the field, consider manners and ethics, and actively engage in discussions and collaboration with students from other specialized fields.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand and practice the ethical considerations, common sense, and manners necessary to smoothly conduct the practicum.
  • Gain an understanding of healthcare and hospitals from the patient’s perspective through self-directed learning.
  • Through dialogue with on-site healthcare professionals, comprehend the roles each plays, and recognize the significance and challenges in the work of physicians and other healthcare providers.
  • Understand the practical aspects of team healthcare in the medical field, the innovations made for collaboration, and contemplate how one can contribute as a healthcare professional.
  • Engage in effective discussions with students from other specialized fields, gaining an understanding of the importance of teamwork in healthcare.

Lesson Plan and Material

Pre-Guidance Session ①: Sharing the Practicum Purpose, Setting Learning Objectives
Pre-Guidance Session ②: Preparing for the Practicum, including Important Notes, Group Introductions, Coordinating
Pre-Study Sessions for Hospital Practicum
Post-Workshop: Collaborating with students from the Medical Department, Human Health Science Department, and Pharmaceutical Department to reflect on the achievements gained during the practicum.

<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