Family medicine
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The opioid epidemic highlights the importance of evidence-based practices in the management of chronic pain and the need for improved resident education focused on chronic pain treatment and controlled substance use. We present the development, implementation, and outcomes of a novel, long-standing interprofessional safe prescribing committee (SPC) and resulting policy, protocol, and longitudinal curriculum to address patient care and educational gaps in chronic pain management for residents in training. ⋯ Our study illustrates the effectiveness of an interprofessional committee in lowering prescribed opioid doses and enhancing chronic pain education in a community-based residency setting.
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Despite the prevalence of published opinions about the use of professional academic writers to help disseminate the results of clinical research, particularly opinions about the use of ghost writers, very little information has been published on the possible roles for professional writers within academic medical departments or the mechanisms by which these departments can hire and compensate such writers. To begin addressing this lack of information, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine hosted an online discussion and a subsequent webinar in which we obtained input from three departments of family medicine in the United States regarding their use of academic writers. This discussion revealed three basic models by which academic writers have benefitted these departments: (1) grant writing support, (2) research and academic support for clinical faculty, and (3) departmental communication support. Drawing on specific examples from these institutions, the purpose of this paper is to describe the key support activities, advantages, disadvantages, and funding opportunities for each model for other departments to consider and adapt.
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A new graduate medical education program in family medicine is urgently needed now. We propose an innovative plan to develop community-based, community-owned family medicine residency programs. The plan is founded on five guiding principles in which residencies will (1) transition to independent, community-owned organizations; (2) sustain comprehensiveness and generalism; (3) emphasize collaborative learning and interprofessional education; (4) develop local educators with national guidance; and (5) share resources, responsibilities, and learning. ⋯ As community-based and locally-run organizations, residencies will gain self-determination in how time is allocated, budgets are spent, and teams function. Building on the momentum of the National Academy of Medicine's 2021 primary care implementation plan and recommendations by family medicine organization leaders, we propose a Decade of Family Medicine Residency Transformation. We encourage individuals and organizations spanning disciplines, health care systems, and communities, to join forces to reimagine and recreate the preparation of outstanding personal physicians dedicated to individual and community health and well-being.
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Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) reduces HIV transmission among high-risk individuals. Yet, the HIV epidemic continues to expand among marginalized populations and America's Southeastern states. Various barriers remain to PrEP uptake, namely provider knowledge and education. We sought to investigate residency training, competency, and prescribing of PrEP among population size. Additionally, we asked program directors to identify barriers to PrEP. ⋯ We identified natural associations between increased training in PrEP and perceived PrEP competencies. We identified a lack of significant PrEP training and associated PrEP competencies in rural residency programs. Barriers identified in this study can help inform curricular needs to improve primary care workforce capacity to lower HIV risk.
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Updated 2018 prostate cancer screening guidelines recommend informed decision-making discussions, which should include education on prostate cancer's disproportionate impact on Black men. It is unknown whether academic family physicians follow these guidelines. ⋯ Most academic family physicians do not appropriately inform Black men of increased prostate cancer risk, with younger physicians less likely to discuss race than older physicians. Female physicians, and physicians who see fewer Black patients, are less likely to have shared decision-making conversations with Black patients. This suggests educational efforts for these groups are needed to address health disparities in prostate cancer.