Medical students enrolled at the Indiana University School of Medicine—South Bend learn more than foundational sciences during their first two years of their education. They learn essential skills to be a successful clinician in smaller groups, and can discover what specialty might be the best fit for them, according to Joseph P. Harmon, MD, director of clinical skills education and assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and medical and molecular genetics at IU School of Medicine—South Bend.
“I really enjoy being a faculty member at a regional campus,” Harmon said. “It’s very exciting to be a part of a regional campus where class sizes are smaller, and I am able to really get to know the students well in all aspects of their educational process."
As an IU School of Medicine alumnus, Harmon said he has been very committed to "giving back" and being involved with the school when he was in clinical practice in the South Bend community, as well as now in his full-time teaching role.
“I love people and knowing their families and helping students be their best selves,” Harmon added. “I try to find out a bit more about each of the 30 students per class — and with our other staff members and faculty colleagues, help them to pursue career goals and aspirations in a field of medicine that best suits their interests and aptitude.”
Mackenzie Mencias, a third-year medical student on the South Bend campus, said she has benefited from the small class size, which made it easier to make friends with classmates and focus on the work at hand.
“All of the faculty and staff members truly do whatever they can to make us feel supported and confident in our abilities,” Mencias said. “I think the small class size made medical school less intimidating from the beginning and allowed us to focus on helping each other succeed rather than competing with one another. I would recommend the South Bend campus to any medical student.”
Mencias said obstetrics and gynecology is currently her top choice as a specialty.
“My second-year preceptor, Dr. Basham, is an OB-GYN in South Bend, and she let me observe her during a C-section and vaginal delivery,” she said. “I am thankful for that experience because it helped solidify my interest in this specialty. She also said she could see me as an OB-GYN in the future, which was very reassuring to hear. I have also had other students and faculty members say that OB-GYN fits me, and I appreciate their input greatly.”
Jessica M. Basham, MD, is currently an adjunct clinical assistant professor in obstetrics and gynecology at IU School of Medicine—South Bend and practices obstetrics and gynecology at St. Joseph Health System.
Scholarly concentration at South Bend campus
Each of the regional campuses of IU School of Medicine offer an optional scholarly concentration for undergraduate medical education that was started by Paul M. Wallach, MD, former executive associate dean for educational affairs at the IU School of Medicine.
At IU School of Medicine—South Bend, it is equity, ethics and justice.
“It’s an identifying force on our campus,” Harmon said. “Those that are part of it share what they have learned on a regular basis. And we have students on our campus that are part of other scholarly concentrations that are headquartered or based on other campuses if they can do the required curriculum remotely.”
From foundational science to clerkship
Harmon, who graduated from IU School of Medicine in Indianapolis in 1991 and completed his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at the IU Medical Center, said the curriculum has changed a lot since he was a medical student, with robust exposure to the clinical setting during the first two years of medical school.
“Having that capability of taking these diseases that you’re studying, these systems, and the human anatomy in the body and having some clinical application or putting a name to a process or knowing a patient that has a condition that you’re studying, really motivates you to learn more about the foundational science,” Harmon said.
Harmon also emphasized the importance of communication.
“Communication is an absolutely essential clinical skill in all fields of medicine,” Harmon said. “One must be able to build rapport, actively listen and have an empathetic approach to all patients in many different settings. Patients should expect all doctors to have excellent bedside manner and know that their physicians understand and are truly committed to caring for their physical, mental and emotional health and well-being.”
He emphasized how critical it is to integrate medical knowledge with interpersonal skills.
“I am very dedicated to training learners to the best of my abilities to hone their interpersonal skills, apply their medical knowledge well and learn from a variety of professional experiences to be very competent physicians prepared to serve their patients well into their careers,” Harmon said.
Many students ask him how he ended up choosing obstetrics and gynecology. Harmon explained that it was more of a “vocation" or “what he felt he was called to do” with his life. Additionally, he said OB-GYN encompasses the medical and surgical field, as well as primary and specialty care, and can be office-based. He has enjoyed knowing many families in his 23 years of private group practice in South Bend and is now very motivated to train the next generations of physicians to provide exemplary healthcare and continue their education throughout their careers and lives.
“At the end of the day, people want a doctor that is going to listen to them, that’s going to get them and understand them, that’s not going to judge them and is going to do right by them — and very basically take excellent care of them,” Harmon said.
