MS Alcohol Framework

From Clinicaltools.com

(last update 01/25/10)

Key Details

Title: Medical Student Education on Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
Federal Funding: NIAAA 4R44AA016724-02 and 3R44AA016724-03S1 (ARRA Supplement)
Federal Funding Program Officer: Deidra Roach, MD
Federal Funding Grants Management Specialist: Deborah A. Hendry
State Funding: One North Carolina Small Business Match Grant FY 2007-2008 #2091929
Principal Investigator: T Bradley Tanner, MD
Co-Investigator: Mary P. Metcalf, PhD, MPH, CHES
Project Director: Susan Wilhelm, PhD
Research Assistant: Kimberly Workman, BA
Start: 09/30/07 End: 03/31/10 (end 03/31/11 with NCE)
Product: MedStudentLearning.com Website
Project Links: Project Guide
Curriculum Plan

Framework

Need

Patients presenting with physical ailments many times are not having their substance use history included in the diagnosis, resulting in ineffective treatment strategies for those patients who, in fact, do have substance use issues.

Vision

The more skills a doctor possesses in the management of patients with alcohol issues, the more likely they will include it as a part of their overall treatment strategy for their patient.

Mission

To combine remote standardized patient interviews with case studies and interactive learning to teach screening and assessment for alcohol misuse and proper treatment decision making to help patients who misuse alcohol.

Target Audience

Preclinical and clinical medical students Medical school administrators (faculty, course directors, clerkship directors, medical curriculum boards, etc)

Goal

The medical student will be able to effectively manage patients who have substance use issues in their history.

Objectives

Develop and implement a Web-based curriculum to provide students with the knowledge and clinical skills necessary to treat alcohol use disorder patients
Evaluate the students' knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy through pre/post test study design
Evaluate the students' clinical skills through use of standardized patients

Innovations

The potential for using remote standardized patients for teaching skills is novel.
Internet-based team-based learning by role-playing different aspects of the SP experience (patient, physician, observer) is novel.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

We have a good consultant group
Medical students are able to, and receptive of, web-based education
We have done a lot with alcohol and can learn from past work
We have demonstrated past success in web-based education
We have experience in conducting live, remote standardized patient interviews

Weaknesses (Constraints)

Phase II funding - 2 years, $750,000
Be efficient with our time, meaning sticking true to our specific aims but yet trying to enhance our product if possible
Recruiting medical schools early in the development process
Scalability of SP approach

Opportunity

Medical schools are open to novel solutions
There is a move in medical education toward clinical skills training and assessment
An online solution offers an efficient way to utilize the benefit of Sps.

Threats

Implementation

Phase II

Phase II (04/01/08 - 03/31/10) work includes the following specific aims:

Specific Aim 1 - Develop the Remaining Content Modules.

Specific Aim 2 - Complete Summative Evaluation of Product

Specific Aim 3 - Phase II Product Dissemination.

Specific Aim 4 - Create a skills practice module to complement the curriculum (ARRA)

Progress Reports

2008

Sept 2008 | Oct 2008 | Nov 2008 | Dec 2008

2009

Jan 2009 | Feb 2009 | Mar 2009 | Apr 2009 | May 2009 | June 2009 | July 2009 | August 2009 | September 2009 | October 2009 | November 2009 | December 2009

Time Line

Phase II project period is 4/1/08 through 3/31/10. A no cost extension will take us through 3/31/11.

Evaluation

Phase I

Faculty focus group participants (n=13) provided great detail and guidance into the design of our medical student curriculum. Participants reiterated our hypothesis that more medical student education is needed on the topic of alcohol abuse and dependence, and highlighted specific areas that we could focus on.

Thirty two medical students in years 2-4 of training participated in the pilot study of our module “The Scope of the Problem: Alcohol Abuse and Dependence”. As expected, knowledge scores on a 14 question test significantly increased pre/post test. Knowledge scores also significantly increased on a one week follow-up exam from post-test measures. Attitudes, self-efficacy in treating patients with alcohol use disorders, and intended behavior all showed modest increases pre/post test. Satisfaction with the module and website were high, and participants felt that the module learning objectives were achieved. Satisfaction with the website and overall learning experience was high. Study participants felt that all of the module objectives were met.

Phase II

Five medical students participated in a small pilot study of the entire curriculum in November 2009. Students were assessed for clinical competence via a pre/post test interview with Cynthia via Google Chat. Results were modest, and showed that many modules had reached a ceiling effect with knowledge assessments pre-test. Assessment refinements are underway.

Commercialization

We will work with medical schools to add the modules to their curriculum. We have already developed relationships with 13 medical schools via other Clinical Tools' products and feel confident that we can create a product that will be purchased by medical schools and individual students. Three of our consultants are also directly involved in medical school curriculum review, and will guide the direction and marketing of the product.

Publications and Presentations

Tanner TB, Metcalf MP, Wilhelm SE. Medical student alcohol education using Remote Live Standardized Patients: A framework to develop and deploy psychiatric education utilizing live SPs. Abstract submitted for 2010 Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry 36th Annual Meeting. June 2010.

Wilhelm SE, Tanner TB, Metcalf MP. Use of a remote, live standardized patient to assess mastery of clinical skills on alcohol abuse and dependence. Abstract submitted for 2010 ASPE conference. June 2010.

Metcalf MP, Tanner TB, Wilhelm SE, Workman KL. Online alcohol education for medical students: results of a survey of 2nd through 4th year students. Oral presentation at the 2009 AMERSA conference. Nov 2009.

Metcalf MP, Tanner TB, Wilhelm SE. Online Alcohol Education for Medical Students: Results of a Survey of Faculty Educators. Poster presented at the 2009 IPS conference. NY, New York. October 2009.

Metcalf MP, Wilhelm SE, Buchanan A, Rossie KM, Tanner TB. Use of Internet Based Chat in a "Remote Live Standardized Patient" Skills Training. Journal of the International Association of Medical Science Educators. 2009; 19(3):70.

Metcalf MP, Tanner TB, Wilhelm S, Buchanan A. Use of a Remote Standardized Patient to Teach Clinical Skills to Undergraduate Medical Students. Poster presented to the AMIA 2009 Spring Congress. May 2009. Orlando, FL.