Medical Education Program Objectives
Medical Education Program Objectives
MSEC: Adopted February 4, 2014; effective with revisions July 1, 2014; May 17, 2016;
April 17, 2018; January 8, 2019; June 16, 2025
The Quillen College of Medicine curriculum is designed to assist students in gaining the fundamental information, attitudes, skills and practice principles required to enter residency training while encouraging the lifelong acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes/behaviors needed to advance the practice of medicine. Consistent with this institutional purpose, the Medical Student Education Committee has developed Medical Education Program Objectives addressing the domains of patient care, knowledge for practice, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, systems-based practice, and interprofessional collaboration.
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1. Patient Care
Provide patient-centered care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health
1.1 Perform all medical, diagnostic, and surgical procedures considered essential for the area of practice
1.2 Gather essential and accurate information about patients and their conditions through history-taking, physical examination, and the use of laboratory data, imaging, and other tests
1.3 Organize and prioritize responsibilities to provide care that is safe, effective, and efficient
1.4 Interpret laboratory data, imaging studies, and other tests required for the area of practice
1.5 Make informed decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions based on patient information and preferences, up-to-date scientific evidence, and clinical judgment
1.6 Develop and participate in implementing patient management plans
1.7 Counsel and educate patients and their families to empower them to participate in their care and enable shared decision-making
1.8 Provide appropriate referral of patients including ensuring continuity of care throughout transitions between providers or settings, and following up on patient progress and outcomes
1.9 Provide health care services to patients, families, and communities aimed at preventing health problems or maintaining health
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2. Knowledge for Practice
Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care
2.1 Demonstrate an investigatory and analytic approach to clinical situations
2.2 Apply established and emerging bio-physical principles fundamental to health care for patients and populations
2.3 Apply established and emerging principles of clinical sciences to diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making, clinical problem-solving, and other aspects of evidence-based health care
2.4 Apply principles of epidemiological sciences to the identification of health problems, risk factors, treatment strategies, resources, and disease prevention/health promotion efforts for patients and populations
2.5 Apply principles of social-behavioral sciences to provision of patient care, including assessment of the impact of psychosocial and cultural influences on health, disease, care seeking, care adherence, and barriers to and attitudes toward care
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3. Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
Demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate ones care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning
3.1 Identify own strengths, as well as limits, in knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes
3.2 Set learning and improvement goals
3.3 Identify personal gaps in knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes
3.5 Seek and incorporate feedback into daily practice
3.6 Locate, critically appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to patient’s health problems
3.9 Obtain and apply information about individual patients, populations of patients, or communities from which patients are drawn to improve care
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4. Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals
4.1 Communicate in an appropriate and effective manner with patients, families, and the public, across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
4.2 Communicate effectively with colleagues within ones profession or specialty, other health professionals, and health related agencies
4.3 Work effectively with others as a member or leader of a health care team or other professional group
4.5 Maintain comprehensive, timely, and legible medical records
4.6 Demonstrate sensitivity, honesty, and compassion in difficult conversations, including those about death, end of life, adverse events, bad news, disclosure of errors, and other sensitive topics
4.7 Demonstrate insight and understanding about emotions and human responses to emotions that allow one to develop and manage interpersonal interactions
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5. Professionalism
Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles
5.1 Demonstrate compassion, integrity, and respect for others
5.3 Demonstrate respect for patient privacy and autonomy
5.4 Demonstrate accountability to patients, society, and the profession
5.5 Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation
5.6 Demonstrate a commitment to ethical principles pertaining to provision or withholding of care, confidentiality, informed consent, and business practices, including compliance with relevant laws, policies, and regulations
5.7 Identifies personal limits of knowledge and skills and seeks help appropriately
5.8 Recognizes and addresses personal well-being needs that may impact professional performance
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6. Systems-Based Practice
Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care
6.1 Work effectively in various health care delivery settings and systems to benefit the patient
6.2 Coordinate patient care within the health care system
6.3 Incorporate considerations of cost awareness and risk-benefit analysis in patient and/or population-based care
6.5 Participate in identifying system errors and proposing potential systems solutions
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7. Interprofessional Collaboration
Demonstrate the ability to engage in an interprofessional team in a manner that optimizes safe, and effective patient- and population-centered care
7.1 Work with other health professionals to establish and maintain a climate of mutual respect, dignity, diversity, ethical integrity, and trust
7.2 Use the knowledge of ones’ own role and the roles of other health professionals to appropriately assess and address the health care needs of the patients and populations served