Health Systems Science
Developing Systems Thinking in Medicine
Health Systems Science Education at Penn State College of Medicine includes a longitudinal curriculum spanning the full undergraduate medical school experience, as well as a health systems science and systems thinking leadership development program for faculty, residents, fellows and other educators.
The overarching goal of health systems science education at Penn State College of Medicine is about helping current and future clinicians appreciate the interrelationship of biological, psychological, social and systems perspectives, and helping them to feel empowered to suggest and implement changes in the health care system.
Courses for MD Students
As part of the undergraduate medical school experience, Penn State College of Medicine students take three core classes devoted to the science of health systems.
Through the Science of Health Systems courses (SHS711 and SHS721), students learn the foundations of health systems, health care delivery, financing, insurance, population and public health, socio-ecological medicine, quality, safety, value, and teamwork and leadership.
The Translating Healthcare Science to the Clinical Setting course (THS743) is designed to help fourth-year medical students apply concepts of patient safety, quality improvement, value and teams to the clinical setting and provide an introduction to public health.
Patient Experience
A key part of the longitudinal Health Systems Science curriculum is the patient experience program. Here, students begin learning about health care delivery in their first year of study by serving as guides and helping patients navigate through the sometimes complicated process of getting the care they need.
Through the patient experience and the three health systems courses, students will develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to function effectively amid the complexities of an evolving health system.
Educator Training
The Health Systems Science Academy is designed to inspire and educate scholars in the field of health systems science including population health, health care policy and health care system improvement.
The goal is to develop teachers and role models in health systems science within each department, who will then guide the new learning and practice models that are evolving for increasingly complex population-focused health care systems.
Those eligible to apply include physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians, quality professionals, residents, fellows and students.
Why Health Systems Education Matters
View accessible video with audio description and transcript here.