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Devra K. Dang, PharmDPetra Clark-Dufner MARuth Goldblatt, DMD
SCDA Annual Meeting April 28, 2012
Incorporating Oral Health in Interdisciplinary
Training: Connecticut’s Urban Service Track
Model
Introduction
• Articulate the purpose, goals & evolution of UST
• Identify examples of interprofessional education and service learning
• Describe how we incorporated oral health into interdisciplinary service learning teams
Urban Service Track
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What is UST?
• Energy • Symbiosis• Safe Learning Environment• Mentoring
http://publichealth.uconn.edu/aboutus_ust.php
Purpose, Goals and Evolution of
UST
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Why do we need an Urban Service Track?
• Demographic changes
• Health disparities
• Healthcare workforce shortages
Goal of UST
• To develop a cadre of well-qualified health care professionals committed to serving Connecticut's urban core.
UST Placement at UConn
• Four UConn health professional schools:
o Dental Medicineo Medicineo Nursingo Pharmacy
o Quinnipiac PA programo UConn School of Social Work
• Center for Public Healthand Health Policy
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Program Details
• Modeled on rural physician training programs
• Housed in CT AHEC program office at the University of Connecticut Health Center
• 3 campuses and 2 Universities - 50+ miles apart
• Financial support – private, federal, state and institutional resources.
Who Guides UST
• Steering Committee• Advisory Committee• Student Leadership
Cabinet
History of UST• July 2005
o Planning grant received• March 2006-June 2007
o Pilot period• August 2007
o 24 Scholars enrolled, 1st cohort• August 2008
o 54 Scholars enrolled, 1st & 2nd cohort• September 2009
o 105 Scholars enrolled, 1st, 2nd & 3rd cohorto September 2010
o 144 Scholars enrolled, 1st, 2nd,3rd & 4th cohorto September 2011
o 176 Scholars enrolled, 1st- 5th cohort
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Urban Service Track Scholars 2011-2012 Academic Year
History of UST Graduates
• 81 graduates– 2008 - 2– 2009 - 7– 2010 -12– 2011- 21– 2012- 39
Identifying Interested Scholars
• Most apply in the summer before admission, or early in their first year Proven track record of volunteerism
Interest in working with variety of health profession students
Desire to work with underserved communities
Interest in primary care
• Students are increasingly entering off-cycle• Must be enrolled in professional school
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Curricular Components
Curricular Components
• Competencies • Retreats• Interprofessional and
Service Learning• Community Research• Advocacy• Professional Development
UST Curriculum
• Based on 11 competencies Delivered over 2 year period
• Complements mainstream curriculum
• Inter-professional experiences designed to heighten awareness of the challenges and opportunities in urban communities
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Developing Competencies
• Providers at the community health centers were surveyed
• What skills/competencies did they feel were important in a provider working with underserved patient populations at community health centers & other look-alike facilities?
• Our 11 competencies were born!
Competencies
1. Cultural & Linguistic Differences2. Population Health3. Health Policy4. Advocacy5. Healthcare Financing and
Management6. Multiple Constituencies 7. Community Resource
Constraints 8. Interprofessional Teamwork and
Leadership9. Professional & Ethical Conduct10. Community Resources11. Quality Improvement & Patient
Safety
Vulnerable Population Lenses
Children and YouthElderly
VeteransImmigrant and Refugees
Substance AbusersIndividuals with HIV/AIDS
Incarcerated and Ex-Offenders
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Learning Retreats
• Vehicle to deliver UST curriculum, held quarterly
• Leadership rotates among core faculty
• Community partners provide site and assist in delivery of content
• Pre-retreat reading assignments• Equal proportion of didactic &
interactive components • Clinical skills integrated
Curricular Components
Use of University and community clinicians as facilitators combine academic and “real world” training
Small group discussion, case study, and problem-based learning activity
Curricular Components
Integrates clients and patients giving vulnerable populations a voice and face
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Learning Retreat
• Agenda with specifics to each retreat– Objectives and reading assignment– Use of community resources and sub
population studied– Cases with facilitator guides for
faculty that are co-written – Learning of new clinical skill/skills
• Opportunity after retreat to use newly learned skill in the community– Oral hygiene instruction/ screening
Learning Retreat Excellence Awards
• Role of Excellence Awards– Nominations– Culture
• Dinner and Networking
Learning Retreat – Field Activities
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Integrating Interprofessional Education and Service-Learning
Interprofessional Education and Training
Clinical Primers
• Ensures adequate and identical information for everyone
• Interprofessional collaboration
• Cultural competence
• Team leads
Community Outreach Activities
Focus Areas:• Health promotion &
education
• Advocacy
• Health careers awareness activities for grades K-12
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Community OutreachHealth Education
• Smiling Seniors• Spring Forward-Don’t
Fall Back• From Wheeze to
Breeze• Community Garden• Pathways Sendaros –
teen pregnancy prevention
• HeartStrong
Community Outreach Clinical Activities
• Migrant Farm Worker Clinic
• Healthy Hartford Campaign
• Oral Health Screenings
• Kidney Early Evaluation Program Screenings
• Primary Care Week Health Fairs
• CT Mission of Mercy
Service-Learning
•2010-2011– 30 service
activities – Number of hours
of community service = 2020
– Number of individuals receiving services = 4881
• 7/1/2011-12/30/11– 23 service activities
Number of hours of community service = 891
– Number of individuals receiving services for dates = 1511
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Health Careers Awareness Activities
•For students grades K-16
•College Student Clinical Skills Activities (13-16)
•High School Clinical Skills Day (9-12)
•Middle School Health Careers Exploration Program (6-8)
•Public Health Living and Learning Communities (13-16)
Community-Based ResearchResearch teams composed of UST scholars from all disciplines immersed in a community partner agency.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS• Institute for Community Research
• ProHealth Physicians
• CT Center for Primary Care
• Community Health Center
Association of CT
• Khmer Health Advocates
• City of Hartford Health and
Human Services
APTR Paul Ambrose Scholars• UConn students exposure at Paul
Ambrose Scholars Program at the Association for Prevention, Teaching, and Research– 3 of the 45 selected nationally 2
years ago were from our UST program, and 2 more were selected last year.
• Intergenerational oral health program
• This year we have one UST scholar accepted. – Oral cancer awareness and self
screening among migrant farm workers
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Expanding Our Model
• Moving into residency programs– Current students in residency programs– Obtaining more faculty involvement
• Recruiting new faculty• Students moving into preceptor/faculty roles
Thank You !
For questions or comments please contact:
Ruth Goldblatt, [email protected]