The following required pre-clerkship courses are available on the SOM learning management system:
- Communication Skills Part A Course
- Cultural Competency Course
- Emergency Medicine Course
- Infection Control Course
- Covid Infection Control Course
Communication Skills Part A Course
SGUSOM provides institutional access to Health Care Communication (formerly DocCom), a web-based communication skills course developed by Drexel University College of Medicine. This course is available to students at no cost through the learning management system and serves as the foundation for formal communication skills training and assessment during the clinical years.
The Communication Skills course consists of 44 web-based modules delivered through two courses available on the learning management system (LMS): Communication Skills Part A and Communication Skills Part B.
Students must complete and pass the 12 modules in the Communications Skills Part A, consisting of the Basic Module and Essential Elements, before becoming eligible for clinical placement.
| Basic Module |
| Overview |
| Mindfulness and Reflection in Clinical Training and Practice |
| Therapeutic Aspects of Medical Encounters |
| Balance and Self Care |
| Essential Elements |
| Integrated Patient-centered and Clinician-centered Interviewing |
| Build the Relationship |
| Open the Discussion |
| Gather Information |
| Understand the Patient's Perspective |
| Share Information |
| Reaching Agreement |
| Provide Closure |
Communication Skills Part B begins with the student's first clinical rotation. Throughout clinical training, students must complete the remaining Communication Skills modules and associated quizzes. Specific modules are assigned to individual clinical rotations and are required components of each clerkship; other modules are completed during clinical training before graduation. The modules reinforce communication skills in the context of patient encounters and clinical experiences.
Completing Communication Skills Part A and Part B is a graduation requirement. All quizzes are available through the LMS. Students must earn a minimum score of 80% to pass.
Cultural Competency Course
This pre-placement course is designed to increase awareness of how culture may affect students' interaction with patients. As healthcare disparities among cultural minority groups persist, culturally and linguistically appropriate services are increasingly recognized as an important strategy for improving quality of care for diverse populations. This course equips students with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to provide effective, culturally responsive care to all patients, regardless of cultural or linguistic background.
Emergency Medicine Course
This course includes an introduction and 10 Core Content Area Modules. Each module is taught and evaluated in a self-directed learning environment using online lectures, reading assignments, virtual patient encounters, and assessments of medical knowledge. Each Core Content Area Module includes a multiple-choice test to evaluate students' interpretation of the reading assignments, lectures, and simulated patient encounters.
Infection Control Course
This course provides an overview of infection control, including how infections spread, ways to prevent transmission in healthcare settings, and recommendations to support student safety.
COVID Infection Control Course
This course provides information on how students rotating in healthcare facilities should prepare for, respond to, and care for patients with respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. Students learn how to recognize cases and implement appropriate infection control measures to prevent transmission to themselves, healthcare workers, and patients.