The Human Dimension (HD) small group faculty will facilitate a group of eight students every other Wednesday morning (Year 1) and/or Tuesday morning (Year 2) over the course of the Phase 1 (pre-clerkship) curriculum. Sessions will consist of debriefing and processing students’ HD experiences through workshops, case presentations, and reflection activities. Faculty will mentor students as they work with families from vulnerable populations and will help student teams complete a community assessment project. Examples of monthly themes of the HD course include professional identity formation, social determinants of health, barriers to care, community systems, substance abuse, and mental illness. This opportunity is appropriate for an MD/DO with prior clinical experience.

Requirements

• Teach HD small groups every other Wednesday morning for half day session for a 16 month commitment starting 7/8
• Attend required faculty development sessions prior to 7/8/19 and ongoing throughout the year
• Review student assignments and complete student evaluations
• Meet with students quarterly for formal feedback sessions and be available to students via email or phone in between sessions
• Participate in HD curriculum review meetings
• Understand the practical aspects of caring for patients from underserved areas

Preferred Skills

• Prior experience facilitating small group learning sessions
• Clinical experience with underserved or vulnerable populations
• Prior experience with home visits
• Experience with Balint groups and/or reflection rounds or similar activities

Course Overview

The Human Dimension (HD) is a three-year longitudinal course at the heart of the School of Medicine (SOM) curriculum. Through service-learning experiences and an integrated curriculum, students will come to understand the many Determinants of Health – this includes the social determinants of health as well as the personal, economic, and environmental determinants. Students are matched to individuals and families from underserved areas, and through longitudinal interactions over the entire core curriculum, they become involved in all aspects of the family’s life to understand drivers of health outcomes, provide education, and navigate community resources. Activities include meetings and calls with individuals and families in their homes and communities as well as participation in multidisciplinary teams in health care, legal, and social services settings.

Additionally, each small group is matched and immersed with a local New Jersey community. Each student group completes a Community Assessment Project (CAP) in their community, aimed to increase their appreciation for the unique aspects of that community, as well as to identify the community’s major assets and barriers. Activities include understanding the community’s geography, attending local, county, and state community meetings to listen to the town’s voices, interviewing key local leaders and stakeholders, and utilizing quantitative and qualitative data to formulate a community assessment. Building upon the knowledge they gained during the CAP, student group will work together to develop a Community Health Project (CHP) that will address a community’s health needs.