Using a 10 credit point course as a selection tool: The Griffith Human Skills for Medicine course.

Abstract

The Griffith Bachelor of Medical Science (MBBS provisional entry for school leavers) program is a two-year program that gives high-achieving secondary school leavers the opportunity to progress without any interview directly into the graduate-entry Medicine program. Griffith Bachelor of Medical Science students who complete their program with a GPA of at least 5.0 and a minimum grade of Pass in the Human Skills for Medicine course will gain entry into the Medical program. The Griffith Human Skills for Medicine Course is a 10 credit point course delivered by the School of Medicine that started in semester 2 of 2012. It is a designated course for the Griffith Bachelor of Medical Science (MBBS provisional entry for school leavers) students. The aim of the course is to prepare the students to transform their role from being a University student into a “Physician in Training” in the Griffith Medical program. The main focus is to develop students’ general communication skills, to provide them with an understanding of how people perceive their experiences in the health environment, and how to apply human skills (eg communication skills and interpersonal skills) in such context. The course also addresses topics such as cultural competency, ethics and professionalism, global health issues and self-care. The assessment of the course includes participation in large group sessions (5%), students’ preparation and engagement of communication workshops (15%), reflective journals (20%) and Human Skills OSCE (60%). All of the B Med Sc students in 2012 passed the course and gained entry to the Medical program. The aim of this presentation is to share the authors’ experience of running the Human Skills for Medicine course. To gain input on how to improve the course and to overcome some of the challenges faced while implementing the course.