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IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH TEACHING FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS AT UQ Professor Charles Gilks Head of School of Public Health CAPHIA forum, Perth; September 2014. Core premises. Public Health concepts are poorly valued and badly taught in current medical curricula
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IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH TEACHING FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS AT UQ Professor Charles Gilks Head of School of Public Health CAPHIA forum, Perth; September 2014
Core premises Public Health concepts are poorly valued and badly taught in current medical curricula Students understand social justice but want to practice curative medicine All doctors need to understand the concept of Health as well as Disease and ill-health Doctors today need to be well equipped to practice Evidence-Based Medicine
Specific context at UQ • Undergraduate health taught at three campuses; with two distinct u/grad programmes for entry to MB BS • No defined “pre-clinical” stream for undergraduates • Very large medical student intake: 550 students per year with 33% o/seas; but not covering costs … • Strong School of Public Health next to SoM with staff keen to teach, but little interaction or shared vision • Limited advocacy for Public Health teaching in the School of Medicine: $$$ and expertise
Changes at UQ • New heads of School: SoM and SPH • Major Faculty reorganisation: SBMS joins • UQ is moving from MB BS to MD in 2015 • Campus closure: one site for first-year u/g Major opportunities to reintegrate Public Health teaching across the clinical course
Undergraduate teaching • Adopted B Health Sci approach for year one St Lucia • Social Determinants of Health underpin approach • More focus on epidemiology and biostatistics • Expand Environmental Health teaching • Link better with health students / allied professions • Majors in Public Health, PH nutrition, Health Promotion and Environmental Health Herston campus • Students better prepared for a broader clinical course with stronger Public Health content • More awareness of / interest in MD MPH
MD teaching • Appointed MD coordinator • Review cases used in PBL/CBL • Relevant Public Health content • Epidemiology and patterns of disease • Social determinants of Health • Inequality within Australian Society • Mainstream Indigenous Health • Inequality across Societies – global health • Evidence-based medicine • Biostatistics: Case-control; Cohort; and RCTs • Health economics: CEA, DALYs; QALYs • Elite MD MPH stream
Research & Higher Degree Pathways in MD Concurrent MPhil or MPH students work part time on degree alongside full time MD. May apply skills training to their own project in Y2. Finish ~2-3 years Research Options Encourage research experience in undergrad BSc across UQ & SOM e.g. summer research & volunteer placements & optional Hons year Eligible students for RHD or MPH may begin application prep & seek approval • GPA > or = 5.5 • EOI • Approved project • Approved advisor Intercalated finish RHD/MPH close to MD graduation = • 5year MD-MPhil /MPH or • 6 year MD-PhD Upgrade to PhD here †Intercalated RHD or MPH interrupt here Approved students may enrol MPhil or PhD or MPH Junior Doctor PGY1-2 Year 1 MD • 3 units research skills training Year 2 MD • 2 units research skills training • Capstone Research Year 3&4 MD Y3 Elective for research Degree Timeframe BSc = Y1 Y2 Y3 Preferred degrees • Biomed Science • Health Science • optional Hons year *All MD students eligible to apply for a RHD Graduate MD-RHD MD-MPH Foundation Research Skills Training *Approved students enrol in MPhil, MPH or PhD at end Y2. Concurrent or Intercalated are possible. Intercalated interrupt MD in Y3. Concurrent continue MD full time & RHD or MPH part time. D Eley 26 June 2014 Graduate School † Intercalated MPhil or MPH interrupts MD for 1 year, intercalated PhD for 2 years
PH teaching outcomes • All clinicians have an understanding of EBM and core Public Health concepts and how this impacts their speciality or practice; • PH Physician pathways (MD MPH) • Public Health Physician cadre in QLD • Health Workforce assessment • Global Public Health practitioners
Conclusions UQ recognises the need to improve Public Health teaching for medical students Started to reintegrate teaching and revise curriculum and content, taking advantage of a series of opportunities and changes Hope to report progress back periodically