Looking Forward: Supporting the future of medicine through education and fellowship

Wednesday, July 01, 2015 12:43 PM

by CMS and COPIC staff

Medical students and residents are entering a health care landscape that continues to transform. As this presents different opportunities and challenges, CMS and COPIC recognize how the knowledge within our organizations is vital in helping these future physicians succeed.   

Since 1999, COPIC has offered a weeklong rotation for medical residents to help them understand medical liability issues and how to adequately prepare for these. The training focuses on the following:

• An inside look at medical incidents and claims, and the world of medical-legal practice.
• Patient safety initiatives and opportunities for enhancing practices and systems, as well as addressing barriers to implementation.
• An understanding of the difference in epidemiology by medical specialty.
• The value of communication, early reporting and patient relationships in improving outcomes.

In 2014, COPIC hosted more than 150 participants from over 12 different medical facilities and organizations. We know the program is making a difference when we hear comments from participants such as “[What I liked most was] having direct access to real cases to learn from as well as open, knowledgeable experts in this field,” and “This is an amazing experience for residents. No discussion, lecture or presentation given during residency can replicate going over real cases with real [claims] adjusters and real lawyers.”

COPIC’s Practice Essentials program is a one-day seminar that is designed to provide residents with a glimpse into the world ahead. It is supported by the Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies and the Colorado Commission on Family Medicine, and offers insight on topics including:

• Assessing and evaluating practice opportunities in the areas of practice type, setting and location.
• Financing life after residency with investment principles that help achieve long-term financial goals.
• Reviewing key physician contract provisions when contemplating employment and managed care contracts.
• Understanding basic business accounting practices and what to look for when assessing the bottom line.
• Discovering the opportunities, unique rewards and challenges in rural practices.

In addition, the COPIC Medical Foundation provides scholarships to students in health-related areas of concentration. We currently have scholarship programs through the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Rocky Vista University and Regis University.

The Colorado Medical Society supports residents by offering them complimentary memberships and the associated benefits of membership, and ensures their voices are heard through the continued support of the resident section, which grants them a seat on the CMS Board of Directors.

CMS provides funds for medical student memberships, which in turn fund the medical student component. This is unique among other state medical societies in that the medical student component uses the dues from CMS to provide their members with travel funds to attend CMS meetings and develop educational programs, among other activities. They also receive seats on the CMS Board of Directors and the Council on Legislation, and they represent the largest delegation in the CMS House of Delegates.

CMS also pays for Colorado medical students to be members of the American Medical Association. This connects them to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and its 10 specialty journals, a database through which they can research residency programs, resources on choosing their career path and specialty, grants for school events and activities, test review guides, and discounts on student loans and AMA books.

Medical education and training can be a busy, stressful time. CMS and COPIC help support medical students and residents with educational programming, networking events, advocacy and resources so they can achieve their full potential in medicine. n