P3.O289: Development and Implementation of a Social Determinants of Health Curriculum for Graduate Medical Education Trainees and Faculty Using Case-based and Interactive Learning Techniques.

Background: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are conditions where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age which affect a wide range of health, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks, and which contribute to health disparities and inequities. The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates for SDOH screening at every health supervision visit, emphasizing the pediatrician’s role to potentially prevent and mitigate their effects. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of SDOH curricula tailored for graduate medical education (GME) programs to integrate into education and clinical practice. As our primary objective, we developed a case-based SDOH curriculum to address this gap, involving pediatric department residents and faculty. This curriculum aimed to enhance their proficiency in identifying, researching, and addressing SDOH within clinical contexts. For our secondary objective, we utilized the SDOH curriculum to stimulate and evaluate physicians’ commitment to change in clinical practice.

Methods: Kern’s six-step methodology guided development of the curricular framework. These steps include: (1) problem identification and general needs assessment, (2) targeted needs assessment, (3) goals and objectives, (4) educational strategies, (5) implementation, and (6) evaluation and feedback.

Pre-curricular surveys in our GME program gauged resident and faculty knowledge, skills, and attitudes concerning SDOH education. In eight separate modules, different resident-faculty pairs reviewed a subspecialty-specific case through the lens of an assigned SDOH domain using evidence-based medicine. They developed an interactive learning module to facilitate case discussion, evidence review, and application of the standard of care to the SDOH domain and concluded by providing a relevant clinical toolkit item. Fifty participants established specific, measurable, and attainable commitment-to-practice change goals post-lecture, and subsequently tracked their progress across modules. Qualitative feedback sessions in monthly focus groups provided iterative teaching module improvement.

Results: Pre-curricular assessments showed discrepancies between resident-perceived SDOH education frequency and faculty comfort in SDOH education. Post-curriculum assessments will assess whether that gap diminished; qualitative feedback sessions to-date indicate improvements in perceived resident education and faculty comfort in SDOH education. Nearly 50 specific, commitment-to-practice change goals were established.

Conclusion: Integrated SDOH instruction in GME is a priority, but residents report insufficient instruction and faculty feel ill-equipped to provide such education. Our case-based SDOH curriculum presents a dynamic, sustainable, and clinically relevant solution to bridge both gaps. Primary data collection will conclude June 2024. With standardized, evidence-based learning objectives and an online classroom for enhanced curriculum development, our modular SDOH curriculum is expanding to nine non-pediatrics GME departments. This interdisciplinary spread presents a unique opportunity for programs to reimagine SDOH education and foster a cadre of healthcare professionals equipped to deliver SDOH-competent care. By leveraging interdisciplinary commitment to health equity, institutions can play a pivotal role in addressing health disparities and promoting the well-being of individuals and communities.