title: Evaluating the effectiveness of a Senior Mentor Program: the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine.
abstract: At the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, we developed a voluntary senior-mentor program, the Senior Teacher Educator Partnership (STEP), for first- and second-year medical students. Using qualitative research methods, we examined the impact of STEP on medical students' attitudes and then assessed the congruence of what is learned through STEP with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to provide care to the elderly patient. STEP was found to be a successful strategy for teaching themes of recognizing the elderly within an ecological context, enhancing sympathy and empathy, emphasizing respect for elderly persons, and gaining an appreciation that aging is an individualized process. New areas identified for student learning experiences included understanding the complexity of the health care system and its impact on elderly patients, understanding the payment system, and developing skills in assessment and care coordination. A model is described for continuous enhancement of educational programs to be used to improve educational experience in geriatrics.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Medicine, MA 213 Medical Sciences Bdlg, Columbia, MO 65212, USA. HoffmanK@health.missouri.edu
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Zweig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008611:Mentors; D008923:Missouri; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011287:Prejudice; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*