First-Year Medical Student Attitudes About Advocacy in Medicine Across Multiple Fields of Discipline: Analysis of Reflective Essays

Abstract

Background Advocacy is often described as a pillar of the medical profession. However, the impact of advocacy training on medical students’ identity as advocates in the medical profession is not well-described. Aim/Setting/Participants We sought to introduce an advocacy curriculum to a mandatory Health Care Disparities (HCD) course for 88 first year medical students. Program Description The 2013 HCD added advocacy curriculum that included: guest lecturers’ perspectives on their advocacy experience; reflective essay assignments assessing self-identify as an advocate; advocacy-specific lectures and large group discussions; and participation in small group community projects. Evaluation A mixed methods approached was used to evaluate 88 first year medical students’ advocacy themed reflective essays, independently coded by three investigators, and Likert-response questions were compared to published benchmarked items. The IRB exempted this study. Analysis of student essays revealed that students were better able to identify as an advocate in medicine. The survey also revealed that 86% post-course vs. 73% precourse agreed/strongly agreed with the statement: “I consider myself an advocate” (p=0.006). Discussion Exposing all medical students to advocacy within medicine may help shape and define their perceived professional role. Future work will explore adding advocacy and leadership skill training to the HCD course.

Preparing Medical Students to Address Health Disparities Through Longitudinally Integrated Social Justice Curricula: A Systematic Review

“…Why the attitudes of some students seemed to be swayed by curricula while the attitudes of other students were not remains unclear, although Press and colleagues noted, “students who were initially ‘neutral’ redefined themselves as advocates by the end of the course…. However, students who did not define themselves as advocates prior to the course remained unchanged.” 33 Qualitative analyses revealed these curricula can enhance students’ understanding of the complex contributors to inequities and empower them to engage in advocacy. Long-term and community outcomes suggest SJC can provide lasting positive influences by better preparing residents to care for patients from a wide variety of backgrounds and ameliorating SDH in populations that are medically underserved.…”

Students of Change: Health Policy in Action

“…11,12 Health policy training has a positive impact on medical students because it helps shape professional roles by assisting students in identifying their role as an advocate. [8][9][10] Interactions outside the classroom with community advocacy groups permitted our students to learn how to engage in advocacy for real-world issues that affect their patients and community.…”

The advocacy skills of health workers in Gilan Province

“…Belkowitz et al (2014) in a study entitled "health advocacy education to medical students at the University of Miami Miller", concluded that advocacy education to medical students can be benefi cial in promoting the knowledge on comprehensive advocacy of students and their skill in addressing the health issues (Belkowitzet al, 2014). The results of the study, entitled "fi rst year medical students' attitude on advocacy in Medicine" by Press et al (2015) with a main aim of introducing the advocacy course, proved that adding advocacy to the curriculum makes the students able to perceive their professional role (Press et al, 2015).…”