Using healthcare's hidden curriculum for good

by Alicia Caramenico, FierceHealthcare With medical school graduates beginning residencies next month, a recent article in Slate painted a harrowing picture for physicians-in-training. In it, Danielle Ofri, M.D., an associate professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine, describes the "hidden" medical school curriculum that sends future doctors into the field jaded and embittered. The lessons taught include healthcare hierarchies, prioritizing efficiency over patient care and the hypocrisy of doctor-patient communication. The article raises concerns about how the hidden curriculum can hurt empathetic care. Those unintended lessons can shape what kind of doctors medical students become, as well as the quality of care they will provide to patients, Ofri noted. While such concerns aren't unfounded, they ignore the other side of the hidden curriculum, one that is a positive learning experience. Based on our FierceHealthcare coverage, many health systems and hospitals offer hidden curriculums that provide positive messages and effective role models. Read the full article at FierceHealthcare
Source: hospital impact - Category: Health Managers Authors: Source Type: blogs