One last programs to consider is Drexel Medicine Physician Refresher/Re-Entry Course in Philadelphia, Pa.
Physician Refresher/Re-entry Program For Returning Physicians
drexel.edu
Physician Refresher/Re-entry Program For Returning Physicians
In 1968, Woman's Medical College/Medical College of Pennsylvania (Drexel University College of Medicine's predecessors) developed a refresher program for clinically inactive physicians who wanted to return to practice. Returning physicians had left for a variety of reasons: family, health, career change to a non-clinical field, relocation and more (
JAMA, 248(22): 2994-8, Dec 10, 1982). From 1968 to 1993, the program successfully helped more than 400 physicians (
Academic Medicine, 70(1), January 1995).
In 2006, the program was relaunched as Drexel Physician Refresher/Re-entry program and redesigned using the College's excellence in education, instructional technology resources and national expertise in re-entry to include onsite and distance learning modules.
A study from 2006-2010 (
Medical Teacher, 34, 285-291, 2012), showed that 86% were successful in achieving their initial goal. For many returning physicians these goals include:
- Enhancing an area of focus
- Enriching clinical skill
- Updating knowledge of general medical information
The key components of the re-entry education include updating didactic medical knowledge, assessment, preceptorship and continued self learning. Through these components we're able to help returning physicians become acclimated to the current medical system. We also provide career counseling and work with employers to help participants return to the workplace.
Physician Refresher/Re-entry Program Structured Preceptorship
drexel.edu
If you plan to take this course, please note the following:
- Trainees may take the course for 6 or 12 weeks.
- The course starts on the first Monday of every month and is first-come, first-served.
- The application process takes 4-6 weeks.
- We have preceptorships in internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, radiology and anesthesia.
Individualizing Physicians' Educational Needs
Participants may outline their individual needs in the written application. The admissions committee reviews this and further explores individual goals during a personal interview. The director customizes each participant's curricula (daily schedules) to suit the individual goals guided by the overall goals of the course. The Physician Refresher/Re-Entry Course makes every effort to identify a preceptor within the participant's area of interest for ongoing teaching, mentorship and feedback. The director maintains ongoing contact with the participant and formally meets regularly for curricular discussions, feedback, to monitor progress in meeting the educational goals, to provide assistance with any potential barriers and to revise the goals or curricula as necessary.
During the physician refresher structured preceptorship, participants will:
- Observe alongside a general medical team, attending patient rounds and learning about integrative up-to-date high quality medical care in the United States.
- Have the opportunity to care for virtual on-line patients (DxR) and standardized patients (laypersons trained to be medical educators. In that role, they portray a patient and remain true to standardization factors. Thus, in this role, they may give feedback on learners' performance), where they will receive formative feedback and assessment.
- Be assigned a faculty preceptor for patient rounds, regular discussions, instruction and feedback.
- Have the opportunity to attend grand rounds, noon conferences and lectures with Drexel fellows, residents and students.
- Participate in the doctoring curriculum facilitated by the director (comparable to one taken by DUCOM's internal medicine interns.) The doctoring curriculum emphasizes acculturation into current U.S. practices, physician well-being, documentation and coding guidelines, feedback skills, practicing board review questions, quality of care and disclosure of medical errors.
- Formally meet with the director for feedback, monitor progress in meeting the educational goals, receive assistance with any potential barriers, and revise the goals or curricula as necessary.
- Have opportunities for possible presentations during rounds, with the preceptor and at the end of the preceptorship.
- Have access to Drexel's medical library.
- Build a portfolio of accomplishments which documents activities completed and performance evaluations by faculty.
