Evaluation of a Public Health, Service-Based Medical School Curriculum: Effect on Physician Practice in Underserved Communities

The Urban Medicine Program (UMed) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) was launched in 2005 and aims to prepare physician-leaders to serve urban, underserved communities. The UMed curriculum is based on the Kolb Cycle of applied learning and utilizes interactive seminars and longitudinal, community-based service work to integrate the core principles of public health and community-based participatory research. Early outcomes of the UMed program suggest that a longitudinal, experiential curriculum can prepare students for leadership roles in advocacy, research, and policymaking. Furthermore, direct contact with diverse communities provides participants with the confidence and skills to make a positive impact on underserved, urban communities.

 While participating in UMed, the Classes of 2009-13 (n=99) reported increases in knowledge, confidence and skills to develop programs with nonprofit agencies that address population level health issues. These graduates were also more likely than their non-UMed peers to enter primary care (p=.02) and family medicine residencies (p=.002), to be selected for the Gold Humanism Honor Society (p=<.0001), and to complete joint degrees (MD/MPH, MD/MBA) (p=<.0001).

 The current study aims to assess longer term outcomes of UMed; specifically what opportunities exist during residency and beyond to engage in leadership roles, and can a program like UMed influence where and how graduates practice medicine.  Results of focus groups with a convenience sample of graduates (2009-2013) will add to the currently sparse literature on the long term outcomes of public health-based curricula in medical education.