This project builds on five years of work by a nine school consortium in strengthening the teaching of behavioral and social sciences at both the local and national level. The proposed program is a collaborative project of UCLA and UC San Diego to accomplish the following over the next four years. Improve the teaching of the behavioral and social sciences (BSS), by creating 11 problem-based learning (PBL) or team-based learning (TBL) cases, developing 5 on-line interactive learning programs to teach faculty about active learning formats, developing an electronic lecture series about rapidly evolving topics in the behavioral and social sciences, and coaching faculty to facilitate behavioral and social science learning. Increase the number of students conducting or participating in social and behavioral science research by providing 6 scholarships for students presenting at national conferences, sponsoring a course in mindful- awareness, and developing 6 summer research opportunities in BSS, including work with integrative medicine. Improve attitudes towards interprofessional education among faculty and future healthcare providers by collaborating with other health professional schools to create interactive learning using simulation, small group reflective learning, and PBL. Develop students' knowledge and attitudes about integrative medicine by interacting with practitioners and students in acupuncture, chiropractic/massage and energy therapies. Build on the Consortium developed over the first five years of funding to expand the current behavioral and social science consortium from 9 to 18 schools, and continue and expand collaborative efforts to influence national organizations, such as the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the National Board of Medical Examiners.
The public of the United States is asking that physicians be better prepared to deliver humanistic medical care by learning behavioral and social sciences, such as medical ethics, medical economics, cross-cultural care, and mind-body medicine, as well as the clinical and basic sciences. The proposed project will develop innovative behavioral and social science curricula across two medical schools, and in collaboration with 16 other U.S. medical schools. Our goal is to better prepare students of medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, and their multidisciplinary faculty with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to provide patient-centered care in the 21st century.
