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behavioral science
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Director:
Kristin Kleppe, Psy.D. |
The Behavioral Science component of the UC Irvine Family
Medicine residency-training program is an integral
aspect of the Family Medicine curriculum. It is
interwoven into the fabric of Family Medicine education.
It is structured to provide residents with a
longitudinal behavioral health care experience. As a
result, Behavioral Science is incorporated into all
three years of training.
At UC Irvine, Behavioral Science education is designed
to give residents a thorough understanding of the
following areas:
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human behavior throughout the family life cycle
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the doctor-patient relationship
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communications skills
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identification, assessment, and treatment of common
psychopathologies seen in primary care
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management of individuals and families who experience
life stress issues
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chemical dependencies
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family violence
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the effects of acute and chronic illnesses on
individuals and families
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behavioral health care and managed care
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Also, as a result of the patient population served by the UC Irvine Family Health Center in Santa Ana, the
Behavioral Science program places a strong emphasis on
cross-cultural aspects of care including:
- cultural sensitivity
- awareness of the multiculturalism in the United
States
- translation issues for monolingual providers
- patient-doctor relationships in an ethnically diverse
world
- culture-bound syndromes
- mental health issues in a cross-cultural context
- use of complementary and alternative medicines
- understanding of indigenous healers
- explanatory models of illness
- cultural status exams
- understanding of how one's own cultural values,
beliefs, and assumptions affect patient care and
clinical decision-making
- awareness of the DSM-IV cultural formulations
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All aspects of the program are monitored and reviewed
for their relevance to training and clinical practice
needs.
Behavioral Science RotationThe Department of Family
Medicine re-instituted a Behavioral Science block
rotation beginning in July 2000. This rotation is
designed to provide residents with:
- an introduction to counseling clinic
- exposure to the Santa Ana community through a ride
along with the Santa Ana Police Department
- an understanding of the personal and familial aspects
of chemical dependency
- a clinical experience in working with victims of
intimate partner abuse and their children
- an awareness of the presentation/treatment of common
psychopathologies in a managed care environment
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Counseling Clinics:
Counseling clinics provide the primary means of
integrating didactic material with clinical practice,
while giving residents an opportunity to hone and to
refine their interviewing and diagnostic skills.
Knowledge of the DSM-IV criteria is stressed. Residents
complete DSM-IV multi-axial diagnoses for each patient
seen in counseling clinic. Behavioral medicine programs
and referrals under managed care are discussed.
Counseling clinics are scheduled quarterly for first
year residents. Initially, these sessions will be
observational in nature. First year residents will be
paired with senior residents and observe their patient
encounters. In general, counseling clinics are scheduled
monthly for second and third year residents.
Issues of physician well being are addressed directly
each month through the Intern Support Group. Discussions
focus on what it means to be a physician, balancing
career and family responsibilities, and coping with
difficult situations. Annual lectures are scheduled
which address physician wellness as well as physician
impairment. The Behavioral Science modules on Difficult
Patients and Chemical Dependency also address these
issues. Periodic activities such as the annual
resident/faculty retreat offer additional opportunities
to discuss physician wellness. |
Home Visits:
Residents may elect to use one or two counseling clinic
sessions per year to conduct home visits with their
patients. Home visits provide residents with additional
information and insight into the lives of their patients
and some of the difficulties patients may have in
meeting their health care needs. Residents will be
accompanied on these home visits by the behavioral
science faculty. Some examples of patients/families
appropriate for home visits include:
- changes in physical or mental health status
- onset of chronic illness requiring lifestyle
change
- birth of a child
- assessment of family functioning
- patients who are non-compliant with treatment
- individuals/families who have suffered a loss
- families coping with a seriously ill/dying relative
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This list is not meant to be exclusive or limiting,
rather it is meant to give residents an overview of the
types of patient problems that may be helped by a home
visit.
Behavioral Science Didactic Seminars:
All residents are required to attend weekly Behavioral
Science seminars. These lectures are held at the Family
Health Center on Mondays from 12:30-1:30. This didactic
series incorporates a mini problem-based learning
approach. The three-year curriculum includes the "Top
Twenty" behavioral issues affecting family physicians. A
different topic, with its own set of learning
objectives, is presented each month.
Examples of monthly
seminar topics includes:
Depression
Anxiety
Personality Disorders
Difficult Patient Encounters
Cross-Cultural Issues in Health Care
Chemical Dependency
Family Violence
Issues in Aging
Child and Adolescent Disorders
Sexuality
Family Assessment
Family Therapy
Brief Counseling Skills for the Family Physician
Sports Psychology
Perinatal Issues
HIV/AIDS
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Persons
Resident Wellness
Stress Management
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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