Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Update Of Oral Health Curricula In Us Family Medicine Residency Programs, Hugh Silk, Judith A. Savageau, Kate Sullivan, Gail Sawosik, Min Wang

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: National initiatives have encouraged oral health training for family physicians and other nondental providers for almost 2 decades. Our national survey assesses progress of family medicine residency programs on this important health topic since our last survey in 2011.

METHODS: Family medicine residency program directors (PDs) completed an online survey covering various themes including number of hours of oral health (OH) teaching, topics covered, barriers, evaluation, positive influences, and program demographics.

RESULTS: Compared to 2011, more PDs feel OH should be addressed by physicians (86% in 2017 vs 79% in 2011), yet fewer programs are teaching OH …

Recruitment And Retention Of Community Health Center Primary Care Physicians Post Ma Health Care Reform: 2008 Vs. 2013 Physician Surveys, Judith A. Savageau, Linda J. Cragin, Warren J. Ferguson, Laura A. Sefton, Joan Pernice

Judith A. Savageau

OBJECTIVES: In 2008 and 2013, the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers surveyed community health center (CHC) primary care physicians (PCPs) to identify factors related to preparedness, recruitment and retention. The survey was repeated to determine the impact of Massachusetts health care reform.

METHODS: An online survey was sent to 677 PCPs at 46 CHCs. New questions addressed patient-centered redesign, language competencies, and interprofessional care.

ESULTS: With 48% responding, PCPs were significantly more prepared in 2013 to practice in a CHC. Intent to continue practicing in a CHC was related to age, length …

Impact Of A Family Medicine Resident Wellness Curriculum: A Feasibility Study, Christine Runyan, Judith A. Savageau, Stacy E. Potts, Linda F. Weinreb

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND: Up to 60% of practicing physicians report symptoms of burnout, which often peak during residency. Residency is also a relevant time for habits of self-care and resiliency to be emphasized. A growing literature underscores the importance of this; however, evidence about effective burnout prevention curriculum during residency remains limited.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this project is to evaluate the impact of a new, 1-month wellness curriculum for 12 second-year family medicine residents on burnout, empathy, stress, and self-compassion.

METHODS: The pilot program, introduced during a new rotation emphasizing competencies around leadership, focused on teaching skills to cultivate mindfulness and …

Evaluating One Strategy For Including Reflection In Medical Education And Practice, Meghan Veno, Hugh Silk, Judith A. Savageau, Kate M. Sullivan

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Reflective writing in medicine allows for the opportunity to analyze, interpret, and learn from clinical experiences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of reflective reading and writing for a department using a weekly listserve. METHODS: The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School sends out a weekly reflective writing story written by its members to celebrate clinical/teaching success. We conducted a 19-item questionnaire in the summer of 2014 among all 402 members. RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed by 161 of 402 (40%) readers and 50 of …

Hospitalist Involvement In Family Medicine Residency Training: A Cera Study, Robert A. Baldor, Judith A. Savageau, Navkiran Shokar, Stacy E. Potts, Joseph Gravel Jr., Kimberly Eisenstock, James Ledwith

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the impact of hospitalists on family medicine residencies. We surveyed family medicine residency directors to assess attitudes about hospitalists and their involvement in residency teaching.

METHODS: Questions were included in the 2012 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey of family medicine residency directors. Univariate statistics were used to describe programs, directors, and our questions on the use of hospitalists. Bivariate statistics were used to examine relationships between the use of hospitalists to teach and program characteristics.

RESULTS: Forty-one percent (n=175) of residency directors completed the hospitalist section of the …

Prenatal Oral Health Education In U.S. Dental Schools And Obstetrics And Gynecology Residencies, Megan Curtis, Hugh Silk, Judith A. Savageau

Judith A. Savageau

Prenatal oral health (POH) is an important health issue, but dental and obstetrical clinicians are not meeting the oral health needs of pregnant patients. This study evaluates how training contributes to this paradox with a national survey of sixty dental school deans and 240 obstetrics and gynecology residency program directors. Response rates were 53 percent and 40 percent for deans and program directors, respectively. According to the respondents, 94 percent of responding dental schools provided POH education, only 39 percent of responding residencies taught POH, and 65 percent of responding deans and 45 percent of responding program directors were aware …

Prenatal Oral Health Education In U.S. Obstetrics And Gynecology Residencies And Dental Schools: Results Of A National Survey, Megan Weeks, Judith A. Savageau, Hugh Silk

Judith A. Savageau

Background: Pregnant women represent a special population within oral health care. Adverse pregnancy outcomes and increased infant caries can occur when prenatal oral disease is not addressed. Currently, medical and dental clinicians are not meeting the oral health needs of pregnant patients.

Objective: Medical and dental providers are not addressing prenatal oral health (POH) with patients despite knowledge of the risks. The objective of this study was to determine how training in dental schools and OB/Gyn residencies may contribute to this paradox.

Methods: We conducted a national survey of 60 dental school deans and 240 obstetrics and gynecology residency program …

Assessing Oral Health Curriculum In Us Family Medicine Residency Programs: A Cera Study, Hugh Silk, Ronnelle King, Ian M. Bennett, Alexander W. Chessman, Judith A. Savageau

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: During the past decade, national initiatives have called for improved oral health training for physicians. We do not know, however, how family medicine residency programs have answered this call. METHODS: Family medicine residency directors completed a survey that asked how many hours of oral health teaching are included in their programs in addition to what topics are covered and the perceived barriers to this education. The response rate was 35%. RESULTS: A total of 72% of respondents agreed that oral health is an important topic, but only 32% are satisfied with their residents' competency in oral health. …

An Ounce Of Prevention: How Are We Managing The Early Assessment Of Residents' Clinical Skills?: A Cera Study, Tracy Kedian, Lisa S. Gussak, Judith A. Savageau, Andreas Cohrssen, Ilene Abramson, Kelly Everard, Alison Dobbie

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Clinical skills deficits in residents are common but when identified early can result in decreased cost, faculty time, and stress related to remediation. There is currently no accepted best practice for early assessment of incoming residents' clinical skills. This study describes the current state of early PGY-1 clinical skills assessment in US family medicine residencies.

METHODS: Eleven questions were embedded in the nationwide CERA survey to US family medicine residency directors regarding the processes, components, and barriers to early PGY-1 assessment. Responses are described, and bivariate analyses of the relationship between assessment variables and percentage of international …

Assessing Oral Health Curriculum In U.S. Family Medicine Residency Programs: A National Survey, Ronnelle King, Hugh Silk, Judith A. Savageau, Ian M. Bennett, Alexander W. Chessman

Judith A. Savageau

Background: During the past decade, national initiatives have called for improved oral health (OH) training for physicians. However, how Family Medicine residency programs have answered this call is unknown.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine how much oral health education is being provided to Family Medicine residents, if the program directors are aware of the importance of oral health, and if there are specific barriers to teaching oral health curricula in these programs.

Methods: 452 Family Medicine residency directors were surveyed about numbers of hours of OH teaching, topics covered, and perceived barriers to …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Training Programs For Community Health Workers In Rural Uganda, Elizabeth Butler, Edward O’Neil, Zachary Tabb, Edward Mwebe, John Mukadde, Prossy Jim, Michael A. Godkin, Judith A. Savageau, Safi Ahmed, Arwen Wolfe

Judith A. Savageau

Background: The Ministry of Health and Omnimed, a non-profit U.S.-based organization that works with international communities to provide basic health education, have partnered to provide health training to community health workers (henceforth referred to as village health workers or VHWs) in rural villages in Uganda. The training is provided via an intensive five-day long session that introduces a wide variety of themes in basic health education taught by experts in the respective fields. The participants are selected by the local government based on their age, reliability, level of education and availability. On the first day, the participants are given a …

Community Dimensions And Hpsa Practice Location: 30 Years Of Family Medicine Training, Suzanne B. Cashman, Judith A. Savageau, Warren J. Ferguson, Daniel H. Lasser

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to assess practicing family physicians' confidence and participation in a range of community-related activities. Additionally, we assessed the strength of the relationship between the physicians' reported medical school and residency training in community-related activities and their current community activities, as well as whether they were practicing in an underserved location. METHODS: All 347 graduates of the University of Massachusetts Family Medicine Residency were surveyed about practice location and type, involvement and training in community work, confidence in community-related skills, and sociodemographic characteristics. Analyses were conducted by residency graduation decade (1976-1985, 1986-1995, and 1996-2005). RESULTS: …

Family Medicine Residency Characteristics Associated With Practice In A Health Professions Shortage Area, Warren J. Ferguson, Suzanne B. Cashman, Judith A. Savageau, Daniel H. Lasser

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: While some family medicine residency programs are designed to train residents in community health centers (CHCs) for future careers serving underserved populations, there are few outcome studies on such programs. Our residency program provides three options for ambulatory health center training, but otherwise residents participate in the same curriculum. We analyzed relationships between ambulatory training site and likelihood of practice in health professions shortage areas (HPSAs).

METHODS: We sent a mail survey to all graduates of one family medicine residency about practice locations, types, and populations; influences on practice choice; and sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS: Training in a …

The Effect Of Medical Students' International Experiences On Attitudes Toward Serving Underserved Multicultural Populations, Michael A. Godkin, Judith A. Savageau

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the effect of international electives on the attitudes of preclinical and clinical-year medical students with respect to serving underserved multicultural populations. METHODS: A self-assessment instrument was used to measure attitudes of 146 students before and after participating in international electives. The same attitudinal items were also analyzed at two time intervals for 18 students who completed international electives as preclinical students and 76 class cohorts who did not. RESULTS: Analyses show that the effect of international experiences is different for preclinical students and clinical students. For both groups, however, these experiences can develop and support perceptions and …

The Effect Of A Global Multiculturalism Track On Cultural Competence Of Preclinical Medical Students, Michael A. Godkin, Judith A. Savageau

Judith A. Savageau

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the effect of an elective (the Global Multiculturalism Track), including international and domestic immersion experiences, on the cultural competence of preclinical medical students. METHODS: A self-assessment instrument was used to measure cultural competence, and it was administered to Track participants and nonparticipating class cohorts at the beginning and the end of the preclinical years. RESULTS: Track participants (n=26) had a higher level of cultural competence both at the beginning and at the end of the program. At the end of their second year, students participating in the Track had, for the first time, greater knowledge of certain …