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Teaching Medicine as a Human Experience: A Patient-Doctor Relationship Course for Faculty and First-Year Medical Students
- William T. Branch, MD;
- Ronald A. Arky, MD;
- Beverly Woo, MD;
- John D. Stoeckle, MD;
- Donald B. Levy, MD; and
- William C. Taylor, MD
Abstract
We developed a required, longitudinal course for first-year medical students that addressed the patient-doctor relationship. Our course linked understanding patients' experiences and perspectives on illness with listening to, talking with, and establishing a rapport with patients while obtaining their medical histories. Learning was enhanced by use of an interdisciplinary faculty and by small-group continuity and faculty mentoring. Our curriculum adapted problem-based, self-directed educational methods to convey medical humanism. We focused on bedside interviewing as the means for exploring patients' social, emotional, and ethical concerns.
Article and Author Information
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From Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and Mt. Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts. For current author addresses, see end of text.
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Grant Support: In part by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
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Requests for Reprints: William T. Branch, Jr., MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115.
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Current Author Addresses: Drs. Branch and Woo: Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115.
Dr. Arky: Department of Medicine, Mt. Auburn Hospital, 300 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02238.
Dr. Stoeckle: Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114.
Dr. Levy: Department of Medicine, Mt. Auburn Hospital, Doctors Building, Suite 310, 300 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02238.
Dr. Taylor: Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Hospital, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215.
- © 1991 American College of Physicians
