JMC Student Council: Meeting Minutes

October 9, 2002

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES: Raymond Conway, Jake Rofman, Christopher Skvarka, Bret Palmer
EXCUSED ABSENCES: Matt Eichenbaum, Debby Rovine, Joanna D’Elia, Kelly McGuigan, Marnie Sambur, Paul Read, Amber Stonehouse

Executive Committee Reports

PRESIDENT (Anita Mehrotra) had no new business.

VICE-PRESIDENT (Seth Hollander)

1. The deadline for submitting petitions for Class of 2006 representative elections is October 11, 2002.
2. Elections will be held on October 18, 2002.
3. The term will end March 2003.
4. Reps must attend all Student Council meetings. They serve as liaisons between their class and Student Council.
5. An additional unofficial role of class reps is to plan post-exam parties.
6. Reps are also encouraged to sit on student task forces.

TREASURER (Sheila Barbarino) had no new business.

SECRETARY (Paul Johnson)

1. JeffSibling will be holding a Christmas Drive for the JeffYES shelter starting in late November.
2. Art supplies, books, clothes, and anything else that would be appropriate for adolescents ages 12-18 are welcome.

Dr. Lopez – Student Affairs Report

1. Regarding the issue of study space, Dr. Pohl has spoken with Ed Tawyea from Scott Library to address the matter. The Student Affairs Office is aware of the issue and is actively working to address it.
2. Performances for JMC students for step 1 and 2 are very good and on par with prior year's performances. One of JMC's goals is to improve the mean scores. Additionally, we also hope to see an improvement in MCAT scores for those admitted to JMC.

Student-Faculty Committee Reports

ADMISSIONS (Christina Mitchell)

1. So far, 3 Admissions Committee meetings have taken place this year.
2. 100 interviews have been conducted.
3. 2 offers have been made (both early decision).
4. 7 total early decision applicants have applied.
5. The total number of applicants is 5,271 - up from last year’s 4,943.
6. October 15, 2002 is the earliest date that accepted applicants will be notified.

AFFILIATIONS (Dorothy Howe & Rob Cooney)

1. The Affiliations Committee sent letters to all affiliates to update the Affiliations Guide, which will be coming out in November or December 2002.

ALUMNI (Bridget Bialas & Dave Dougherty)

1. The Alumni Committee recently met with both the Career Day Committee and the Parents’ Day Committee
2. Career Day will take place December 4, 2002.
3. The Eakins Lounge will not be used.
4. The time frame will be 3:30-6:30 pm as opposed to last year’s 4-7 p.m.
5. Refreshments will be provided at the start of the program.
6. Each presenter will be representing their particular specialty.
7. So far, 18 out of 28 presenters have responded.
8. The Alumni Committee is currently looking into changing the evaluation process for Career Day.
9. Parents’ Day will take place March 14, 2003.
10. Dr. Sanford will be speaking.
11. Dr. Vogel declined to speak.
12. There has been no response from Dr. Weiner.
13. . The Alumni Committee presented the suggestion that 1 student instead of 2 speak at Parents’ Day.
14. A discussion followed in which the pro’s and con’s of both options were discussed.
15. The Alumni Committee will further discuss this issue in the near future.

RESEARCH (Geoff Deschenes & Jim Johannes)

1. Reiteration of the Research Committee’s goal: To provide all interested JMC students with the necessary information/opportunity to acquire a research position during their time here at Jefferson.
2. Drs. Lopez and Novielli will be presenting a discussion on research opportunities (primary directed to the 1st years) on October 28, 2002 at 12 noon in Brent.
3. The Research Committee will ask the Class of 2006 for applicants to fill the
   3 1st year slots on the committee.
4. They will be asking for volunteers to help in contacting faculty members to create a large database of research possibilities for all JMC students. They will first be contacting students who previously did research.
5. Dr. Lopez is in the process of completing a common application for all summer research programs. This should be available February 1, 2003 at the latest.

CURRICULUM (Elizabeth Morrison & Jeff Chang)

1. At the August meeting, a proposal for Family Medicine Senior Outpatient Subinternship at Unerwood Memorial Hospital was presented.
2. The motion was unanimously approved.
3. Dr. Glaser and Seth Hollander will co-chair the Professionalism Task Force.
4. Half of the members will be students; half faculty.
5. the Honor Code (for testing) and professionalism evaluation forms will be reviewed, revised, or adapted, and presented to the Curriculum Committee and the Committee on Student Promotion for approval.
6. The task force has expanded its focus to include not only the academic issues, but also broader social concerns.
7. The large Year 1 task force is now going to be divided into smaller working groups to identify and prioritize the basic core content appropriate for 1st year medical students.
8. There is consensus that (a) the curriculum needs to be reviewed and changes made in Genetics and Cell Biology and (b) students need to link clinical with basic science learning to become effective physicians.
9. The goal of decreasing total lecture hours with an increase in certain areas was stated.
10. . Three groups will be formed: Genetics and Cell Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Essentials of Clinical Medicine.
11. The systems-based approach is being considered as one of the options for the 1st year.
12. There has not been a final decision about format(s).
13. Regarding the Year 3 task force, the use of the palmtop has begun in Surgery and has replaced the encounter cards.
14. This platform will enhance student learning by providing them with a tally of patient care activities for review with supervising faculty.
15. Efforts can thus be made to optimize the clerkship experience and fill in any gaps identified.
16. Regarding the Year 4 task force, the two most important goals for the 4th year are to prepare students for internship and prepare them with the skills to be lifelong learners.
17. The changes to the 4th year implemented in July 2002 include the creation of a combined 4-week Neurology/Rehabilitation Medicine clerkship, the implementation of the Surgical Selective Program and addition of a 4th elective (total = 16 weeks in 4th year).
18. The task force is now planning the new Advanced Basic Science course and the combined Emergency Medicine / Clinical Skills clerkship with plans for implementation in academic year 2003-2004.
19. The name Scientific Foundation of Clinical Medicine has been selected for the successor to Advanced Basic Science requirements.
20. The overall goal of this course is to revisit basic science concepts within the context of prevalent clinical problems.
21. Clinical modules, as well as sessions on "how to teach" and "how to read the medical literature" are being developed.
22. Student research projects can be completed during electives.
23. Currently, there is no outpatient subinternship option approved for Ob/Gyn.
24. Also at the August Curriculum Committee meeting, a 4th year student has requested being allowed to do her 6-week outpatient subinternship requirement in Ob/Gyn at Christiana Care Medical Center.
25. A motion was made to approve this proposal for the student.
26. At the September Curriculum Committee meeting, a course review of ICM/Pathology/Pharmacology was presented.
27. It was noted that the overall response rate to the web-based questionnaires was low.
28. The results of these evaluations were consistent with Year 2 steering committee feedback throughout the year.
29. The response rate for the Neurology/Psychiatry/Ophthalmology module was 45%.
30. Overall satisfaction expressed by this group for this module was 95%.
31. The students noted special appreciation of the efforts of Drs. Dougherty and Curtis as teachers and in the preparation of syllabus material.
32. They also noted overall satisfaction with the small groups in Psychiatry and Ophthalmology.
33. Specific concerns were expressed about the Pharmacology lectures, syllabus, and exam questions in this module.
34. Overall satisfaction with the modules ranged from 46-95% across the course.
35. The major concerns related to quality of some sections of the syllabus, some of the exam questions, and some of the lectures.
36. The process of integrating the disciplines into a cohesive curriculum will be continued.
37. The course will be decompressed by starting in late November. It is now called Foundation in Clinical Medicine, in recognition of the broader, interdisciplinary scope of the content.
38. Each module will now flow in a logical pattern: review of relevant 1st year basic science, system-related clinical skills lectures, pathology, clinical syndromes, and pharmacology/therapeutics.
39. The leadership from each discipline for each module has been meeting to plan the curriculum. The plan is to integrate "from the ground up" with attention to redundancy and content priorities for a 2nd year student across all disciplines.
40. The flow of the clinical skills "lab" sessions and DHI2 will parallel this course.
41. The syllabus will be organized with specific learning objectives with more attention to the correlation with lectures for all modules. There will be a syllabus in Pathology this year, with the goal of using Dr. Curtis’s syllabus as a model. Faculty development in this area is planned.
42. The process of test question and exam development will continue. The exam review group will be continued. The first item writing workshop, which will be presented by staff from the NBME, was held on September 19, 2002.
43. The course review for Physical Diagnosis was then presented.
44. It was noted that this is a review of the 2nd part of the year when students see patients in the hospitals.
45. They do a history and physical exam and then meet with their preceptor for 2 hours.
46. The response rate was only 17%.
47. Overall, 60% of the respondents noted they were satisfied with this course.
48. The main concerns were: lack of consistency of experience across sites, lack of structure and direct observation of skill development, and lack of correlation with the systems-based curriculum.
49. This course would be correlated with the systems-based curriculum of FCM this year and some of the lectures will be included in FCM.
50. With the availability of the Clinical Skills Center, it will be possible this year to include direct observation of clinical skills development as students examine standardized patients and each other under the supervision of the core faculty at the center.
51. This activity will alternate with patient sessions in the hospital, which due to the nature of the "real" environment, will continue to vary.
52. The very well-received "Physical Diagnosis Rounds" will also be continued and expanded as a component of DHI2.
53. Students will be evaluated based on their grade on a written exam following the November lectures, clinical performance during patient sessions in the hospital, and grade on a physical exam OSCE at the end of the course.
54. The students will have their first session with a standardized patient in November, when they will learn the basic format of the comprehensive physical exam.
55. The Freshman Assistance Committee’s role will most likely be expanded next year.
56. Decreasing the number of big sibs has been suggested.

STUDENT AFFAIRS (Amber Stonehouse & Anand Srinivasan)

1. Student Affairs is working on reimbursing 1st years who had to stay in hotels during the first weeks of the school year.
2. Regarding the issue of safety, a shuttle and an escort service have been suggested.
3. Regarding the issue of study space, the mezzanine of JAH, Curtis Building, and the 3rd floor of the library are underused because they are shut down at certain times. It has been suggested to keep these areas open for extended hours.
4. The Jefferson Medical Oncology Society was approved by the Student Affairs Committee.
5. A university-wide calendar is up and running. As of now, access is limited. If a student would like to have an event posted on the calendar, he/she should contact Patricia Haas in the Office of Student Activities.

TECHNOLOGY (Mike Ehrlich & Bret Palmer)

1. Due to student requests you should now be able to use instant messaging, telnet and ftp programs.
2. When the Technology Committee met with JeffIT, they told the committee that music download programs and peer-to-peer network software will not be allowed on the wireless network due to a) lack of bandwith b) lack of funding to purchase more bandwith c) school liability regarding music downloads d) virus outbreaks and increased technical support related to a p2p network.
3. Not allowing these programs is not a student council decision despite the fact that when you call JeffIT they will tell you to talk to your student reps.
4. If it were up to student council, access would be open for all uses.
5. JeffIT emphasized that the network is funded for academic purposes only.
6. The Technology Committee was able to convince them that IM, telnet and ftp are used primarily for academic purposes.
7. If you would like to be able to use additional programs on the network, please email the student council technology liaisons (Michael.Ehrlich or Bret.Palmer).
8. However, please note that no matter how much we lobby for music downloads and P2P, they will not be allowed.

CLASS OF 2003

1. The Class of 2003 is currently rotating through electives and subinternships
2. They are in the process of applying to residency programs.
3. Early Match should be getting underway soon.
4. Interviews will be starting soon.
5. They are getting ready for graduation by taking yearbook pictures, ordering caps and gowns, etc.
6. The Clinical Skills Exam was met with mixed reviews. For those interested, there is a petition on AMSA’s Web site (www.amsa.org) to get rid of the exam.

CLASS OF 2004

1. The Class of 2004 just finished Block 2.
2. The interclerkship session got mixed reviews from students.
3. There was a panel discussion followed by role-playing in small groups.
4. Some students did not show up or left early.
5. The repercussions of that type of behavior are being discussed among the faculty.
6. The issue will be brought up at the next Curriculum Committee meeting.
7. A student asked how & where to get grades from rotations. Answer: Registrar or BannerWeb.

CLASS OF 2005

1. A meeting regarding on- and off-campus safety was held September 25.
2. Bill Taigason and the Student Affairs Deans were present, along with about 15 1st and 2nd years.
3. The students who were most concerned were those who walk home at night since there is no escort service.
4. The Safety Commission will meet in the winter to discuss these issues.
5. One JMC 1st year and one JMC 4th year will represent the students at the meeting.
6. The issue of the Saturday night Narcotics Anonymous meetings being held in JAH is also being looked into.

MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2006

1. There was dissatisfaction with DHI Exam 1.
2. The practicum seemed to be fair.
3. Upperclassmen pointed out that the DHI course coordinators are usually generous in terms of giving points back.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Katherine Faricy and Elizabeth Morrison presented their new JMC student organization, Medical Oncology, for approval by Student Council.
2. This organization is not limited to medical students. It is open to CHP & CGS students, and anyone in the greater Jefferson community who has an interest in oncology.
3. Dr. Bruce Bowman is the organization’s advisor.
4. APPROVED --