 |
CONCEPTS OF FAMILY MEDICINE
Family Medicine encompasses the treatment
of the patient as a whole - mind, body and spirit and as part
of a family unit.
The objective is to provide the resident
with the opportunity to achieve cognitive experience, psychomotor
skills, attitudinal orientation, and practical knowledge required
for the Family Physician in each of the curricular elements.
By offering these objectives, it is the intent of the Program
to graduate an emphatic and compassionate physician who is also
competent in treating the majority of maladies that trouble mankind.
In order to train Family Practice Physicians,
the new residents must be taught to assume the responsibility
for the total health care of the individual and the family, taking
into account the social, physiological, economic, cultural, and
biologic dimensions. To accomplish this, the training must be
based on the "Core Curriculum" of Family Medicine,
which includes continuity of care, family oriented comprehensive
care, and clinic practice.
|
| During the three years of
training, instruction includes human behavior, community medicine,
geriatrics, disease prevention, health promotion, internal medicine,
pediatrics, surgery, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, practice
management, conferences, and electives.The principles are carried
out first, by introduction of the subject in the first year,
and then through constant restatement during subsequent years.
The subject may be broached during conference by one of the faculty
members and opened to the floor for discussion. Residents then
have an opportunity to use the principles when meeting a patient
for the first time by incorporating the concept of holistic medicine
into the care of the patient. Holistic medicine, or total care,
is taught by the preceptor who guides the resident to use the
resources at the clinic, hospital and community to serve the
patients and their families until the desired outcome is achieved. |
|
The goals of the program are realized,
when each resident possesses the knowledge, clinical skills and
diagnostic acumen to treat patients according to the standards
of Family Medicine. Continuity of care is taught and practiced
in the ambulatory, in-patient, homecare, and domiciliary care
settings, such as the nursing home or extended care facility
and during referrals and consultations. These are integral functions
of the Family Practice Center and rely heavily on community resources.
Concisely stated goals are:
- To develop expertise in the chosen branch
of medicine through progressive scholarship and professional
growth.
- To develop personal responsibility for
safe, effective and compassionate patient care.
- To develop knowledge and skills necessary
to become competent practitioners.
- To foster the development of teaching
abilities and interpersonal relationships.
- To foster consciousness of cost in the
provision of health care.
- To develop skills in evaluation techniques.
- To develop personal programs of self-study
and professional growth.
|
|
|
Total care of the patient is a complex
process, and is learned at so many levels. The hospitals, clinic,
and the center have already been mentioned, but these are extended
to include an elderly person's home, the sports arena, industrial
complexes, schools and other sites requiring primary care medicine.
The experience is unique to this discipline, and attunes the
physician to the individual needs of patients and their families.
The physician should be able to treat at least 90% of the medical
problems at these various sites in the community. Instruction
should stress flexibility and adaptability so that the physician
can meet the demands of practice.The Family Physician must be
able to perform well within the community and become an integral
cog in the meshwork of the environment. The physician is an all-important
member of society because so many individuals depend upon medical
care, and the trust placed upon the physician must be honored.
The other facets of community life are important also social,
religious, economic and political, as well as a balanced and
healthy lifestyle.
Continuing medical education is another
goal of Family Medicine. The physician is exposed to new trends,
ideas and procedures during his three years of training at the
program. Through journal club, lectures and physician interaction,
the physician is stimulated to improve medical acumen, and as
trends change and discoveries are made, the physician adapts
his/her treatment accordingly. It is hoped that the physician
will continue the process of learning through conferences and
other CME activities after graduation from Family Medicine. The
purpose of staying abreast of new trends is to provide the best
care possible for patients.
|
 |
The ability to recognize which problems
require referral is of paramount importance. The Family Physician,
although well trained and knowledgeable, does not possess certain
skills that may be necessary to his or her patients. The Family
Physician, through training and experience, should be able to
discern which patients would benefit from such a consult. Costly
errors are avoided through wise consultations and the physician
assiduously chooses those specialists who in turn must work tp
provide continuity of care for the patient.
Board certification for all graduates is
an ongoing goal of the Family Medicine Program. It cannot be
stressed often enough how important the certification examination
is. Selma Family Medicine has been successfully graduating physicians
who have become Board Certified Diplomats in Family Medicine.
Reviews, in-training tests and other preparation are given prior
to the examination and these have had salutary effects.
|
|
