Behavioral Medicine Curriculum
Behavioral Medicine is an integral part of the overall Family Medicine Residency Training Program. It is well known that stress and psycho-social issues impact most illness. In addition, the treatment of the leading chronic health conditions requires helping patients alter behaviors such as eating or smoking habits. This may become frustrating to both patient and physician. Consequently, it is imperative that Family Physicians be competently trained in effective primary care counseling skills.
The Family Medicine Behavioral Curriculum was developed to be relevant to daily practice, build confidence in the resident and be fun to learn. It is a developmental model, which is evidence-based and skills based. Each aspect of the curriculum is taught in a similar format: faculty present a topic and set of specific skills followed by resident practice through role-play or with standardized patients. The faculty gives immediate feedback throughout. Motivational Interviewing principles are used by faculty to conduct all workshops.
Following is an overview of the year by year curriculum:
Year 1 Content (All presented in the above described workshop style, not lectures) - The Bio-psychosocial interview and skills
- Introduction to General Counseling Skills
- Introduction to Assessment and Treatment Skills of Mood Disorders
- The Transtheoretical Change Model
- 5 hours of work with behavioral faculty in residents’ clinic
Year 2 Content (One month required Behavioral Medicine Rotation) - Review of Basic Counseling skills, and Change Model
- Motivational Interviewing Skills I
- Motivational Interviewing Skills II-dealing with resistance and motivating change
- Advanced treatment of Depression and Anxiety with:
- Cognitive Behavioral Treatment skills and Mind-Body Techniques
- 5 hours of work with behavioral faculty in residents’ clinic
Year 3 Content - 5 hours of work with behavioral faculty in resident clinic practicing all skills Response to Behavioral Curriculum
Our curriculum has been presented numerous times at national and state Family Medicine meetings with excellent reviews and requests for more. Our residents have a very positive response and report increasing ability to utilize behavioral skills in their clinics.