Health Care Disparities in Women’s Health Elective
Preceptor: Veleka Willis, MD
Contact: Angela Sarkisyan, angela.sarkisyan@nyulangone.org
Prerequisite: None
Description
Health care disparities are a pervasive part of our healthcare system in the United States. Medical students on this elective will rotate through the Family Health Center, Community Medicine Program for women’s homeless health care and prison health clinics, as well as participate in didactic activities exploring the multifactorial etiology of health disparities and the multiple solutions required to eliminate them.
Objectives of the Elective
Expose medical students to health care disparities through clinical and educational activities, providing an opportunity to consider how systems and providers contribute to disparities, in order to inspire a commitment to helping eliminate health care inequities in their professional roles.
Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective
Medical students will work directly with the house staff and/or attendings at all scheduled clinics. They will complete a pre-and post-test focused on health care disparities, as well as a presentation on a selected topic. Students will participate in weekly didactic activities and complete readings for these activities. Following the elective, they will be asked to complete a post-elective evaluation of the experience.
Didactic Program
Students will participate in weekly 1-on-1 discussions with faculty preceptors based on readings tailored to the clinical activities of the elective. One week, the reading assignment will be replaced with a formal reflection on a case they observed. A sample schedule for a week of the elective:
| Day | Elective |
|---|---|
| Monday | Readings and Discussion, Reflection |
| Tuesday | FHC school health clinic |
| Wednesday | FHC community based program |
| Thursday | Incarcerated women’s health clinic |
| Friday | Magnolia Women’s Shelter health clinic |
Method of Evaluation
The pre-test will be completed for the purpose of formative assessment and to guide selection of readings and topics to be considered during the didactic program. The presentation will be delivered to a group of attendings and house staff at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn. Completion of all readings and reflection will be required. The post-test as well as the presentation will be graded pass-fail by the preceptor.
Scheduling Information
Months Offered: July, Oct-Feb
Report To: Veleka Willis, MD
Students Per Period: 1
Duration: 4 weeks
