LOCUS: Preparing Medical Students for Community Health Leadership

Goals Understand the medical, educational, cultural, political and socioeconomic environment out of which the need for LOCUS developed. Reflect on the concept of leadership and understand the importance of leadership in medicine.

GOALS Review the LOCUS core curriculum, the program’s structure, its active learning components, and its goals and desired outcomes Understand the evolution of the program, challenges to its survival, and its growth over time.

LOCUS 1999

CONTEXT Health system challenges Medical education Inequities: access, quality Escalating costs Ever expanding knowledge Medical education Reductionistic, biomedical focus “Coveritis”, burn out, cynicism Role of physicians in society

Context continued Social accountability Leadership for change Physician’s as stewards and servants Responsibility to society Leadership for change Education for leadership Community of shared values Mentoring, encouragement and feedback

LOCUS GATHERING 2000

LOCUS Definition: a place Leadership Opportunities with Communities, the medically Underserved and Special populations

LOCUS Logistics 15 to 18 LOCUS fellows per medical school class Each LOCUS fellow: Is paired with both a faculty and a student mentor Participates in approximately 20 hours per year Completes a community health project “LOCUS is for life”

LOCUS Core Content Introduction to leadership Leadership and one’s self Leadership and others Leadership and communities

Introduction to Leadership Challenges in health care Importance of leadership Leadership styles Qualities of leaders Mentors and role models

Leadership and One’s Self Describe personal mission, goals, priorities Find strategies to achieve balance between personal and professional lives Solicit feedback Engage in self-reflection and self-assessment Adjust goals through career

Leadership and Others Develop team skills: listening, collaborating, delegating, giving and receiving feedback, acknowledge contributions of others Lead effective meetings: agendas, keeping on time, summaries, follow-up actions Identify and address conflicts: understand one’s own responses, mediation skills

Leadership and Health Issues in Communities Identify local and global health challenges Recognize complex determinants of health Reflect on the roles and responsibilities of physicians in improving conditions for health

Leadership and Community Health Methods Community oriented primary care (COPC) Evidence-based public health Ecological models Logic model Community health needs assessments

Leadership and Health Activist Skills Community networking and organizing Fund raising Non-violent protests Writing skills: Letters to the editor Position statements Oral communications: Public speaking, radio and television interviews Testifying in government hearings

Community Health Service Projects Conduct community health needs assessments: Rapid appraisal and surveys Key informant interviews Access health data Select project framework Conduct project Assess, present and celebrate outcomes

LOCUS 2000

Evolution and Opportunities Student Issues Faculty Issues School Issues Sustainability

Student Issues Interest growing, student applications increasing Student desire to keep personal and limited in size Greater interest in self-initiated new projects Issues of individual vs group projects Issues of individual interests vs community needs

Faculty Issues School-based faculty Community faculty Time Value Reward

School Issues Informal vs formal curriculum Credit vs No Credit Recognition for “Honors”

Sustainability School and Department role AHEC Community Partnerships

LOCUS GATHERING 2002