Certificate of Rural Community Health There continues to be a shortage of physicians and other health care providers in many parts of rural Alabama. Research suggests that people who grow up in rural areas are much more likely than others to return to rural areas to practice medicine. In 1996, The University of Alabama School of Medicine (UASOM), through its Tuscaloosa campus College of Community Health Sciences (CCHS), instituted the Rural Medical Scholars Program (RMSP). This is an alternative pathway for rural Alabama students to prepare themselves for future work as primary care physicians in rural parts of the state. The RMSP, a five-year program that leads to a medical degree (MD), has a separate admissions process. As part of the RMSP, students develop camaraderie with fellow students and form a support network with rural health professionals. To begin developing this important support system, the Rural Medical Scholars spend the academic year prior to entry into medical school involved in a basic rural health curriculum on the Tuscaloosa campus. Some of these students are college seniors pursuing a bachelor’s degree at The University of Alabama (UA), and some already have this degree. Following successful completion of this pre-matriculation experience, the path of medical education continues with basic science courses at the UASOM Birmingham campus for two years and clinical work at the UASOM Tuscaloosa campus for two years. The RMSP has developed its own set of courses, sometimes in collaboration with other colleges at UA, which meets the needs of Rural Medical Scholars. This set of courses is designed to meet the needs of both undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduate students will still meet the requirements for graduation. Students with special needs will still take appropriate courses. The Certificate of Rural Community Health will provide recognition to all of these students for the work they do in a CCHS core set of five courses. Certificate Program Objectives 1. Provide students with the basic tools, principles and knowledge to be able to investigate rural health issues and to determine solutions to rural health problems. 2. Create a support network among students, rural physicians, other rural health and agricultural professionals, and rural residents. 3. Keep students from rural Alabama connected with their rural roots to increase the probability that they will return as rural health practitioners. Completion Requirements The Certificate requires successful completion (earn a grade of B or better in each course) of 15 credit hours in five courses (three hours each) from the following: Rural Environmental and Occupational Health* Hours Rural Envir/Occup Health 3 CHS 500 Rural Envir/Occup Health 3 HHE 500 Rural Environ/Occupatnl Health 3 *Introduces basics of rural environmental and occupational health. Students acquire knowledge of biological, chemical, physical, safety and ergonomic health hazards common to the rural South. Safety regulations and preventive measures are explored where applicable. Hours CHS 420 Basic Epidemiology 3 CHS 520 Basic Epidemiology 3 HHE 521 Basic Epidemiology 3 *Acquaints students with basic epidemiological methods and principles. Emphasis is on study design and sources of error. The investigation of disease etiology and risk factors are the focus of this course. Community Clinical Process I* Hours CHS 422 Community Clinical Proc 3 CHS 522 Community Clinical Proc 3 *Explores the roles and responsibilities of rural primary care physicians as they address the health and health care needs of individuals, families and communities. Communication basics and interviewing skills are explored and practiced. Health care practice issues such as physician/patient relationships, confidentiality and HIPPA Guidelines, as well as ethics in medicine, are presented. In addition, basic clinical assessment skills and techniques, including a comprehensive health history and physical exam, are introduced. Fieldwork includes shadowing primary care physicians, community interviews, health promotion activities and rural industry tours. CHS 425 Biostatistics 3 CHS 525 Biostatistics 3 HHE 526 Biostatistics 3 *Introduces basic statistical concepts and procedures in health-related research, including descriptive statistics, probability, parametric procedures (e.g., t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation, regression) and nonparametric procedures (chisquare tests and ranking procedures). Explores select data sets related to rural community issues through the application of learned procedures and the production of research reports. Survey of Issues in Health Care Management* CHS 527 Hours Health Policy & Planning 3 *Explores current issues facing the health care industry. Issues are analyzed and evaluated regarding health care sectors involved, level of importance and possible solutions/outcomes, as well as stakeholder demands. Students are expected to discuss and support analysis of health care issues. Courses CHS 101. Emergency Medical Services I. 3 sem. hrs. CHS 155. Freshman Seminar. 3.00 sem. hrs. Freshman Seminars provide an opportunity for faculty members in the College of Community Health Sciences to engage with a small group of students (limited to no more than 20 students) in the context of a subject related to medicine or health related topics that is personally and professionally meaningful. The structure of the freshman seminar allows for flexibility in instructional methods. CHS 200. Health & Wellness Advocacy. 3 sem. hrs. Education and training in core peer education skills preparing for certification as Peer Educator (CPE). Health and wellness education targeted to college age in : alcohol/substance use, tobacco, stress, nutrition/fitness, eating disorders, financial management, sexual health/ healthy relationships. CHS 210. Principles of Weight Mgt.. 3 sem. hrs. This course will explore multiple aspects of weight management through a holistic health approach. Components of nutrition, stress management, physical activity principles and techniques within an ecological framework will be emphasized. CHS 330. Intro Clinical Medicine. 3 sem. hrs. Course is designed in lecture format to acquaint students engaged in premedical studies with the major patterns of illness in the U.S. and with the medical disciplines that treat those diseases. Enrollment limited to junior and senior premed students. CHS 400 Epidemiology* Hours Biostatistics* CHS 400. Rural Envir/Occup Health. 3 sem. hrs. Designed to help the student recognize environmental and occupational health hazards in the rural setting, the effects of exposure to these hazards, and preventive measures that should be taken to avoid them. CHS 420. Basic Epidemiology. 3 sem. hrs. A basic course in epidemiology designed for students in health or related fields which points out the population-oriented approach to epidemiology and shows how the methodology can be used to develop knowledge of disease etiology with application to the entire spectrum of health service. CHS 422. Community Clinical Proc. 3 sem. hrs. A combination of scheduled sessions and fieldwork. Field work includes visiting with assigned rural advisor, completing a rural community assessment, and assisting with community health screenings and education programs. CHS 423. Indep Stdy Community Med. 1-6 sem. hr. An individual learning experience that involves the student in documentation of, evaluation of, and/or strategic planning for solving a community health problem. CHS 425. Biostatistics. 3 sem. hrs. Statistical methods and concepts particularly appropriate for biomedical research and health-related subjects. CHS 427. Health Policy & Planning. 3 sem. hrs. A problem-based learning seminar that introduces the student to the field of health policy and planning. CHS 432. Comm Clinical Process II. 3 sem. hrs. Continuation of studies from CHS 422, including introduction to basic physical assessment techniques and continuation of a community project. The University of Alabama 1 CHS 442. Practical Issues Behav Medicin. 3 sem. hrs. Lectures and readings will examine behaviors that compromise overall health status (eg, tobacco use, noncompliance) and behavioral aspects of specific medical conditions (eg, heart disease, cancer, pain). Topics will include bioethics, racial/ ethnic disparities and rural mental health issues. Writing proficiency within this discipline is required for a passing grade in this course. CHS 490. Clncal Correlations in Biochem. 3 sem. hrs. The purpose of this course is to study biochemical principles in a clinical context and to observe the process of medical information assembly and reasoning in clinical care. 2 Certificate of Rural Community Health