Introduction: Physicians frequently encounter social determinants of health such as homelessness, poverty, and addiction, that complicate clinical care and may contribute to emotional fatigue and burnout. While humanism in medicine has been associated with improved patient outcomes and physician well-being, it is often difficult to sustain amid systemic challenges. Medical education lacks sufficient opportunities for learners to engage meaningfully with marginalized populations in ways that reinforce humanistic values and advocacy. This study aimed to enhance humanistic engagement among residents and faculty through unstructured conversations with individuals experiencing homelessness at a community event. Methods: Using a phenomenological approach, residents and faculty from a family medicine residency program participated in a community event serving individuals experiencing homelessness. After engaging in unstructured conversations with community members, participants submitted written reflections about their experiences. We analyzezd these narratives using thematic coding and consensus methodology to identify emerging themes. Results: Three central themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: humanistic reconnection, challenging assumptions, and moving from understanding to action. Participants reported the experience challenged prior assumptions, enhanced empathy, and renewed their motivation to address the structural determinants of health in clinical practice. Discussion: Direct engagement with individuals experiencing homelessness through community-based storytelling can reinforce humanism and promote advocacy, which may mitigate physician burnout. This study supports the integration of experiential, narrative-focused interventions into residency curricula as a means of fostering empathy and social responsiveness among family medicine trainees.
Introduction: Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) are a key component for resident-centered learning and competency-based medical education in residency programs. Although best practices exist for ILPs, programs and faculty offer varied levels of support, and residents differ in their goal-writing experience, ability, and motivation. To address these disparities, this pilot study sought insight from family medicine residency faculty on the feasibility of using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to assist residents in writing ILP SMARTIE goals. Methods: This pilot study surveyed faculty helping residents with ILPs at six family medicine residency programs across the United States. An exploratory qualitative approach was used to assess faculty perspectives on using AI to support ILP goal-writing. Results: Eleven faculty participated, with comments suggesting that integrating AI into ILP goal-writing was feasible and improved goal structure and clarity, though it was not a replacement for faculty guidance. Some identified challenges like the need for appropriate prompt engineering and reviewing AI output for needed adjustments. Conclusions: Faculty perspectives highlight the potential of using AI to reduce the burden of creating SMARTIE goals for higher quality ILPs, opening the door for future study on this topic.
Introduction:Family medicine (FM) residents spend hours working in the electronic health record (EHR). We implemented a multifaceted training program to improve their ability to utilize the EHR. This study analyzed Epic Signal data to assess the impact of that training on their proficiency and efficiency in the system. Methods:We performed a retrospective cohort study using 3 years of monthly data exported from Epic's Signal database for residents in our FM program and programs of internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics within our organization. The EHR training program was implemented in FM (and not the other residencies) incrementally across this time frame. We analyzed trends in Epic's proprietary Provider Efficiency Profile Score ("efficiency") and Proficiency Score ("proficiency") for differences in these scores. Results:FM residents demonstrated improved proficiency in EHR use over time compared to the other residencies. No significant changes in efficiency were seen for any group. Conclusion:Epic Signal data provides a tool to study curricular impacts. An EHR training program enhanced FM residents' proficiency but did not improve efficiency.
Introduction:Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has become an essential tool in managing diabetes, offering real-time insights that improve patient engagement, decision-making, and clinical outcomes. Despite its benefits, CGM is underutilized in primary care due to perceived complexity and time constraints. This study aimed to enhance health care professionals' understanding of and confidence in prescribing CGM technology through two multidisciplinary, hands-on workshops. Methods:A total of 51 participants, including family medicine residents, faculty, clinical staff, and pharmacists, attended hands-on workshops and wore a CGM for 10-14 days. We analyzed prescribing patterns using EHR data to compare CGM orders placed before and after the workshops. Additionally, we evaluated pre- and postworkshop surveys' changes in participants' comfort, knowledge, and likelihood of recommending CGMs to patients. Results:Results showed a 31% improvement in participants' prescribing patterns of CGMs after holding the workshops. Qualitative feedback highlighted insights into device usability, blood sugar patterns, and patient counseling. Conclusion:This study demonstrates the value of experiential learning in improving health care providers' competence with diabetes technologies. Future research should explore the long-term impact of such training on clinical practice and patient outcomes.
