A Brief Examination of Integrated Care in Undergraduate Medical Education

Abstract

Integration of behavioral and physical health in medical education is beginning to occur in a meaningful context.

Identifying Prevalence and Characteristics of Behavioral Health Education in Family Medicine Clerkships:

“…health are currently integrated in medical school curricula. 8 As a result, there is incomplete understanding of how medical students can best learn the skills necessary to incorporate behavioral health interventions into clinical practice. In addition, prior research demonstrates that the values of clerkship directors can influence the curriculum that they deliver.…”

“…However, it has been reported that behavioral health topics are more likely taught during the family medicine clerkship than any other clinical rotation other than psychiatry. 8 Moreover, most mental health symptomatology presents first at the primary care level, so this care, and therefore training, needs to be integrated into primary care education.…”

Integrated Care in Community Settings and Psychiatric Training

“…In this issue, we present six papers on the theme of integrated care, including three empirical reports, a review, an example curriculum, and a systematic review [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Recently, the American Psychiatric Association also published a task force report on integrated care [10].…”

“…Although the response rates were low, a majority of respondents offered integrated care rotations and electives and fewer than half of responding programs provided didactic education on integrated care. Dubé et al [5] surveyed members of the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP) on how physical and behavioral health were integrated at their institutions. Although response rates were again low, behavioral health was most commonly taught in courses dealing with the practice of medicine, in neurology and in reproduction courses, and in family practice clinics.…”

“…There may be many practical, administrative, or financial barriers to offering integrated care experiences for residents, and as noted, not all programs embrace integration with primary care [4]. In addition, ADMSEP members responded that clinical care settings were uncommonly used in the clinical years of the curriculum [5].…”