MD Program Objectives

MD Program Objectives

SGUSOM has constructed its curriculum around three domains:

1. Medical Knowledge
2. Clinical Skills
3. Professional Behavior

At the time of graduation, all medical students will be deemed to have met these MD Program Objectives.

Medical Knowledge

1. Apply the multidisciplinary body of biomedical, behavioral, and socioeconomic sciences to clinical analysis and problem solving.
2. Describe the etiology, pathogenesis, structural and molecular alterations as they relate to the signs, symptoms, laboratory results, imaging investigations and causes of common and important diseases.
3. Incorporate bio-psycho-sociocultural factors including aging, behavior, health care delivery, psychological, cultural, environmental, genetic and epigenetic, nutritional, social, economic, geographical, religious, and developmental; and their effects on the health and disease of individual patients and populations into clinical reasoning.
4. Utilize evidence-based therapeutic strategies for the prevention, treatment, and palliation of disease.
5. Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to patients' health problems.

Clinical Skills

1. Demonstrate effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills; and build collaborative and trusting relationships with patients, their families, and all members of the health care team while delivering patient care.
2. Demonstrate clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills in the care of individual patients and appropriately use emerging physician support systems/tools/technologies ethically, transparently, and with accountability.
3. Gather essential and accurate information about patients and their conditions through history-taking, physical examination; and the use of laboratory data, imaging, and other tests.
4. Demonstrate competence in routine manual skills.
5. Continually seek out, critically evaluate, and apply emerging knowledge, guidelines, standards, technologies, and services that have been shown to improve patient care and health outcomes.
6. Demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate one’s care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to seek guidance where appropriate, to continuously improve patient care.
7. Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care.

Professional Behavior

1. Demonstrate the ability to cultivate a positive professional identity grounded in conscientiousness, excellence, and lifelong learning through self-reflection, incorporation of feedback, and the integration of new knowledge, skills, and behaviors.
2. Demonstrate the professional qualities expected of a physician, including empathy, compassion, compliance, punctuality, reliability, responsibility, appropriate demeanor, honesty, and teamwork.
3. Engage in behaviors that demonstrate respect for others, openness to different perspectives, and a commitment to fairness and professionalism in all interactions.
4. Consistently demonstrate ethical behavior, including respect for patient privacy, the protection of autonomy, and the practice of informed consent in all clinical interactions.
5. Demonstrate the ability to collaborate effectively within an interprofessional team to deliver safe, effective, and patient- and population-centered care.
6. Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to the needs, values, and perspectives of diverse patient populations, respecting differences in culture, identity, belief, ability, and life experience.