MCLIN 110 - FOUNDATIONS OF POPULATION MEDICINE AND HEALTH SYSTEMS I

[20 Hours]

This course will provide an introduction of the population approach to health and disease. More specifically, it will provide students with foundational knowledge of epidemiology, biostatistics, principles of evidence based medicine, critical evaluation of the medical literature, determinants of health, healthcare disparities, disease prevention, population management, the healthcare system, trends in healthcare costs, practice models, quality improvement, and patient safety. The course will utilize a combination lectures, independent study to prepare for interactive class sessions, team based learning, question analysis, and quizzes. There will be a final exam that uses national board style questions, as well as other question formats. Overall course objectives are as follows: 1) Define key concepts of epidemiology and biostatistics. Use these concepts in the analysis of disease data, strategies for disease management and prevention, design of improvements in health care delivery, and critical evaluation of research; 2) Describe the community/population based approach to disease and health; including health determinants, disparities, disease prevention, and disease management; 3) Use the principles of evidence based medicine in the search, quality assessment, critical evaluation of research papers and other sources of medical information; 4) Describe the structure and financing of the U.S. healthcare system, trends in healthcare costs and sustainability, scope of practice of healthcare professionals, and factors suggesting a need for reform; 5) Use outcomes data to assess healthcare quality, and develop appropriate metrics that could be used for quality improvement.