There are a number of opportunities for Medical, Social Work, MPH, and Pharmacy students at the Center for Patient Partnerships. For more information about specific opportunities, see the applicable sections below:
*Note that a field or clerkship experience at the Center for Patient Partnerships meets requirements of the Consumer Health Advocacy Certificate.
Medical students join us for our clinical and courses each semester or spend the summer advocating and working on a research project funded by a Shapiro Fellowships. Family medicine doctors meet with Center staff and join our case rounds to learn about our advocacy services and how they can incorporate advocacy into practice.
Information on funding for student research, including Shapiro Fellowships is available at: http://www.med.wisc.edu/education/md/curriculum/year-1/student-research/211
For more information about funding contact:
Lynne Cleeland
Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs
4119 HSLC
lmcleela@wisc.edu
Profiles of two Center Shapiro Fellows:
During summer 2007, Deborah Fadowole and Brian Schmidt, both second year medical students at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, completed research projects on patients’ use of the Internet and on access to clinical trials. They also completed the Center’s clinical advocacy training program.
“Working as an advocate allowed me to explore medicine from another perspetive—the patient’s,” says Deborah. “It was an enlightening experience that will influence the rest of my medical education and my future as a physician.” The Shapiro Fellowship competition provides a stipend for a research project relevant to medical science and practice.
“I learned an incredible lesson that will benefit me years from now, both in medicine and in life,” says Brian. “A patient's concern is not always someone else's problem. All too often, a patient's concern is forwarded to another provider. My experience at the Center inspires me to be sure that when a patient voices a concern I will address it and/or make sure another provider will.”
Contact:
Aphra S. Mednick, LCSW
Advocacy Coordinator
amednick@wisc.edu
The Center for Patient Partnerships is a national leader in patient advocacy education. An interdisciplinary center of the Schools of Law, Medicine and Public Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Center trains professional and graduate students from a diversity of disciplines in the art and science of patient advocacy and patient-centered care.
Through our clinical advocacy training, students advocate for patients (or family members) with life-threatening and serious chronic illnesses as they navigate the health care system and address related legal, financial, and psychosocial issues. Students help individuals and families address issues related to serious health conditions including treatment options, accessing quality medical care, how to talk with family members and co-workers about their illness, appeal insurance denials, determine eligibility for public and private benefits, and sort out financial and employment related problems. Additionally, the Center uses patient experiences to shape messages, promoting research, education and policy initiatives that put patients first and remove barriers to health systems.
Open to first or second year students.
This is an interdisciplinary setting with direct contact with clients and experience in advocacy in micro and macro issues. Students help individuals and families facing life-threatening and serious chronic illness get the care they need, make informed decisions, and address issues related to serious health. Students work with clients throughout Wisconsin (3/4 of the Center’s clients) and the United States. The majority of client contact is by phone or email. Face to face contact is encouraged when possible.
First (1) year graduate students: Specific responsibilities will include: phone triage intervention, in-person contact (on some cases), and health care advocacy. Student goals will include developing generalist social work skills, understanding the various systems encountered in the health care system, developing and applying advocacy skills and working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary setting. The student would be expected to be flexible, enthusiastic, and strongly interested in these issues. No parking is available and a car is not needed.
Second (2) year graduate students: Specific responsibilities will include: phone triage intervention, in-person contact (on some cases), and health care advocacy. Student goals will include building on generalist skills, understanding the various systems encountered in the health care system, developing and applying advocacy skills and working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary setting. The student would be expected to be flexible, enthusiastic, and strongly interested in these issues. No parking is available and a car is not needed.
SW Practice and Social Policy students will focus on analyzing policy and its impact on a micro level. Based on opportunity and student interest, they may have the opportunity to do one or more of the following; community outreach and advocacy training, develop policy initiatives with community partners and on a statewide level.
SW Practice and Health students will focus and develop advanced knowledge of the health care system, including the players involved, roles of the consumer and policy implications. The student will gain skills and knowledge related to working in an interdisciplinary setting.
Center Contact:
Sarah Davis, Clinical Assistant Professor
sdavis2@wisc.edu
608.265.6267
Pharmacy Contact:
Mara Kieser, Asst. Dean/Clinical Assoc. Professor
makieser@pharmacy.wisc.edu
608.265.4842
The Center for Patient Partnerships, an interdisciplinary health advocacy center of the schools of Law, Medicine & Public Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy empowers patients facing life-threatening and serious chronic illnesses to advocate for quality health care and navigate the health care, insurance, and related employment or disability systems. Formed in 2001 by a team of cancer survivors, committed health care providers, researchers, teachers, and health policy experts, the Center promotes health systems change by providing patient advocacy services, offering coursework that focuses on the principles of patient-centered care, and disseminating information on patient-centered care models and practices.
Advanced clerkships provide pharmacy students the opportunity to learn about the health care system from patients' perspectives in an interdisciplinary environment along with medical, law, social work, public health, and other graduate students. Students learn key patient advocacy skills and substantive knowledge about health care navigation (medical decision making, insurance, finance, disability, and related laws and regulations) as they advocate with patients.
Specifically, Pharm D. students will:
ADVANCED CLERKSHIP LOGISTICAL INFORMATION:
HOURS - Entry level Pharm. D. clerkships are full time, (i.e. a minimum of forty hours per week, five days per week.) Non-Traditional Pharm. D. clerkships are either full time for four weeks or part time for eight weeks.
STUDENTS MUST ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR WEEKLY CASE DISCUSSION ON WEDNESDAYS - held 10am-11:30am (for blocks 1 & 2) and likely from 4:30-6pm (for blocks 3-6).
Typical hours are 9am-5pm, Monday- Friday. Flexibility is available.
CLERKSHIP CALENDAR - The clerkship calendar is divided into six blocks.
1 May 25-July 10, 2009
2 July 13-August 28, 2009
3 Aug 31-Oct 23, 2009
4 Oct 27-Dec 18, 2009
5 Jan 11-March 5, 2010
6 March 15-May 7, 2010
Students are required to complete an extensive orientation (~20 hours) at the beginning of the clerkship in blocks 1, 3, 5) or if enrolled blocks 2, 4, or 6 - to attend the orientation provided during the previous block.
COURSE - A clerkship at the Center for Patient Partnerships qualifies for:
760 - Pharmaceutical Care Clerkship (Elective clerkship rotations; inpatient or outpatient)
Students complete three to four elective 760 clerkship rotations.
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