General
Educational Philosophy and Policy
|
Mission
Statement
|
|
We
are committed to enhancing the quality of life
through improved health, the professional preparation
of those who will serve the health needs of others,
and the discovery of knowledge that will benefit
all.
|
The faculty of the Penn State College of Medicine is
engaged in the education of superior physicians. The
college has developed a program that emphasizes the
scientific disciplines and humanistic concerns necessary
to achieve this goal. The practice of medicine, both
in the community and in an academic setting, is an art
with a scientific base. Prime consideration is given
to development in the student of a sense of responsibility;
of an understanding of the patient’s need for a compassionate,
knowledgeable, and available physician; of a commitment
to continuing inquiry and research, self-education,
and the improvement of professional skills.
Students are invited by the faculty to become colleagues
in a productive learning experience. Effort is made
to maintain an informal atmosphere and an open-door
policy to promote student–faculty interchange. The curriculum
is under the continuous scrutiny of a committee in which
students and faculty participate.
The faculty aims to familiarize the student with the
basic knowledge, scientific principles, and clinical
skills that provide a foundation for the practice
of medicine. The student must be motivated to keep pace
with the rapidly advancing body of medical knowledge
by embarking on a lifelong program of scholarly,
intellectual inquiry.
Learning techniques emphasize problem solving. Many
opportunities for individual clinical and basic research
are readily available. Such experiences are intended
to train the student in the methods for gathering and
evaluating valid information to find the solution of
each patient’s problems.
 Learning
is interdisciplinary in nature, insofar as is practical.
In clinical conferences, emphasis may be placed on the
scientific foundation from which understanding of disease
processes and their management necessarily derives.
Preparation in the basic sciences is integrated with
clinical training so that the student may have a sound
scientific basis for development of clinical interests.
Electives as well as research opportunities enable each
student to find expression for his or her unique interests
in medicine.
It is the goal of the faculty to help the student achieve
professional competence with a sound grasp of the principles
of human behavior and humanistic values. Students interact
with patients and physicians in a variety of settings.
Students are expected to strive to develop, along with
the unique professional skills of the physician, a thorough
commitment to those who come under their care, whether
the student’s future vocation will be medical practice,
research, or administration.
The College of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison
Committee on Medical Education of the American Medical
Association and the Association of American Medical
Colleges.
For
questions or comments regarding this web site, please email Student
Affairs
|
