Citation
Lypson, M. (2009, November 19). The Components of the Social History. Retrieved from Open.Michigan - Educational Resources Web site: https://open.umich.edu/education/med/social-history. <http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/64951>
Subjects
Communication Techniques, Gastroenterology, Cultural Diversity, Interviewing Patients, History Taking Skills, Patient Communication, Medical History Taking, Cross-cultural Communication, Medicine, Physical Diagnosis, Infectious Disease, Medical Interview
Description
This 4-phase educational module can be offered either within a cultural competency curriculum, gastroenterology sequence, or a physical diagnosis curriculum. This case has been used for the past 3 years as part of a 2nd year clinical foundations course in undergraduate medical education. The overall objective of the case is to demonstrate the importance of social history taking skills within the clinical context. Moreover, it emphasizes the important aspects of culture for both patients and physicians. This case also allows students to work through a case in a small group setting, which allows faculty to better assess student's diagnostic ability as well as their ability to understand the critical nature of a patient's history in obtaining the correct diagnosis. Finally, this case exposes students to culturally specific terms, traditions and manifestations of illness.