Create an elective

The description will be viewed by students in the Elective Catalog, where they make decisions about course selection. Content includes an overview of activities, expectations and assessments used during the elective.

Include activity information that students will be required to participate in when taking the elective. Information should include instructional setting(s), number of shifts/hours in clinic per week, laboratory work, weekly schedules, etc.

Any full-time physician or faculty member can be included in this category. They do not need to have a faculty appointment unless they are designated as a director or co-director of the course.

Six ACGME competencies (medical knowledge, patient care, systems-based practice, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, and professionalism) are used to frame our Institutional Learning Objectives (ILO). The IU School of Medicine also has a new health equity, advocacy and leadership competency.

These ILOs will be linked to the Course Level Objectives (CLO) you create for your course. You can find additional information about writing objectives at Tips for Writing Student Learning Objectives and are welcome to contact iusmecat@iu.edu for additional assistance.

Below are examples organized by each competency. If you need others, please contact iusmecat@iu.edu.

Medical Knowledge (MK)

• Discuss the details of gross human anatomical structure and human embryology, and radiography as applied to the study of human structure (MK1).
• Recognize and differentiate etiologies of acute kidney injury (MK2)
• Describe the pathophysiology of acute and chronic pain (MK3).
• Justify the interventions used to diagnose and manage the most common skin diseases (MK4).
• Apply knowledge of general surgical diseases, differential diagnosis and treatment options by contributing to the care of patients (MK5).
• Evaluate the efficacy of diagnostic and therapeutic options using the principles of evidence-based medicine (MK6).
• Describe the epidemiology of common diseases and identify methods for prevention and early detection of those diseases (MK7).
  

Patient Care (PC)

• Demonstrate the ability to perform a complete and relevant clinical history and physical examination (PC1).
• Formulate a differential diagnosis for a patient with a skin disease (PC2).
• Develop a plan of care (PC3).
• Perform the following procedures: KOH preparation, scraping for ectoparasites, skin biopsy, minor suturing, electrodessication (PC4).
• Demonstrate an appropriate transition of care between settings that minimizes the risk to patient safety (PC5).
  

Systems Based Practice (SBP)

• Demonstrate effective teamwork through collaboration with patients, families, and the patient care team (SBP1).
• Evaluate the impact of social determinants of health and incorporate those factors into patient care plans (SBP2).
• Explain fundamental features of health care policy (including funding, legal, and regulatory issues) both locally and nationally and the potential impact of policy changes on patients, underserved populations, and healthcare providers (SBP3).
• Contribute to a culture of healthcare and patient safety through compliance with institutional guidelines and protocols (SBP4).
• Explain the methods of justifying and distributing resources during the Management step of the Disaster Cycle (SBP5).
  

Practice Based Learning and Improvement (PBLI)

• Develop one high-quality educational module focusing on the clinical application of human structure (PBLI1).
• Apply new medical knowledge or learned skills and incorporate this into daily practice (PBLI2).
• Seek and demonstrate responsiveness to feedback from faculty and other healthcare professionals (PBLI3)
• Identify and apply healthy coping mechanisms in the management of stressful situations and patient encounters while on rotation (PBLI4).
  

Interpersonal and Communication Skills (ICS)

• Communicate effectively with patients and other members of the health care team (ISC1).
• Incorporate health promotion and patient education through elements of shared decision-making when communicating with patients (ICS2).
• Construct and deliver a 90-minute lecture to first-year medical students (ISC3).
• Create a scholarly abstract suitable for submission to a national or regional conference (ISC4).
  

Professionalism (P)

• Treat patients in a fair, unbiased, and non-judgmental manner (P1).
• Explain awareness of the need for culturally competent care oriented toward the growing Hispanic community of Indianapolis (P2).
• Describe the risks and benefits of surgical procedures and understanding of informed consent by obtaining surgical consent (P3).
• Recognize appropriate indications for reporting suspected abuse, work effectively with Child Protection Services and convey appropriate information to all involved persons (P3).

Health Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership (HEAL)

• Brainstorm strategies to eliminate barriers to health equity (HEAL1).
• Demonstrate an awareness of the cultural identities (e.g. race, ethnicity, religion, native language, etc.) of the patients encountered on service. Reflect on how your patients’ cultural identities differ from your own and how these differences may impact health care decision-making. Develop relationships with all individuals that are founded in compassion and mutual respect (HEAL2).
• Provide patient education, resources, or support services based on identified patient needs (HEAL3).

Course directors can decide the various modes of assessment to use as part of their course. Examples may include observation, oral exam, written exam, logbook entries, case presentation, oral presentation, written essay, discussion with faculty, etc. However, every course is required to use a standard evaluation form based on the course type. The course type for your elective (i.e. Professional Development, Clinical Practice, etc.) will determine the standard evaluation form that must be used. For samples of the standard evaluation forms, please see the forms linked on the Elective Proposal Form.

No, all elective course directors must have a current and active faculty appointment. If not already an IU School of Medicine faculty member, you can apply for one via the volunteer faculty appointment process. If you previously had a faculty appointment but are not currently an active faculty member, you will need to re-apply for a faculty appointment before you can be designated as a course director.

No, “Clinical Practice” and “Advanced Clinical” electives must include clinical work as a primary component.