Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of Integration into Medical School Curriculum
OBJECTIVES Few medical schools incorporate formal education on human trafficking (HT) and sex trafficking (ST) into their curriculum. Our objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate education on HT and ST in the first-year medical student curriculum. METHODS The curriculum included a standardi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205231164088 |
| _version_ | 1797810344775647232 |
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| author | Devika M Das Jennifer MV Talbott Jordan S Dutcher Matthew Buras Elisabeth Lim Suneela Vegunta Paru David Juliana M Kling |
| author_facet | Devika M Das Jennifer MV Talbott Jordan S Dutcher Matthew Buras Elisabeth Lim Suneela Vegunta Paru David Juliana M Kling |
| author_sort | Devika M Das |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJECTIVES Few medical schools incorporate formal education on human trafficking (HT) and sex trafficking (ST) into their curriculum. Our objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate education on HT and ST in the first-year medical student curriculum. METHODS The curriculum included a standardized patient (SP) experience and lecture. As part of their mandatory sexual health course, students interviewed an SP who presented with red flags for ST and then participated in a discussion led by a physician-facilitator in an observed small group setting. A multiple-choice survey to assess knowledge about HT and ST was developed and administered to students before and after the SP interview. RESULTS Of the 50 first-year medical students, 29 (58%) participated in the survey. Compared with the students’ baseline scores (according to the percentage of correct responses), scores after the educational intervention showed a significant increase in percentage correct on questions related to trafficking definition and scope (elder care, P = .01; landscaping, P = .03); victim identification ( P < .001); referral to services ( P < .001); legal issues ( P = .01); and security ( P < .001). On the basis of the feedback, a 2-hour lecture, which was adapted from the American Medical Women's Association–Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans “Learn to Identify and Fight Trafficking” training, was presented the next year to all first-year medical students as part of their longitudinal clinical skills course and before the SP case. Curriculum objectives included learning trafficking definitions, victim/survivor identification, intersections with health care, the local impact of HT, and available resources. CONCLUSION This curriculum fulfills course objectives and could be replicated at other institutions. Further evaluation of this pilot curriculum is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:06:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ef920b5a9a14e0283b3996cbee5ab9a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2382-1205 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:06:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ef920b5a9a14e0283b3996cbee5ab9a2023-06-06T08:03:19ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Medical Education and Curricular Development2382-12052023-06-011010.1177/23821205231164088Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of Integration into Medical School CurriculumDevika M Das0Jennifer MV Talbott1Jordan S Dutcher2Matthew Buras3Elisabeth Lim4Suneela Vegunta5Paru David6Juliana M Kling7 Alix School of Medicine, , Scottsdale, AZ, USA Alix School of Medicine, , Scottsdale, AZ, USA Alix School of Medicine, , Scottsdale, AZ, USA Division of Health Science Research, , Scottsdale, AZ, USA Division of Health Science Research, , Scottsdale, AZ, USA Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, , Scottsdale, AZ, USA Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, , Scottsdale, AZ, USA Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, , Scottsdale, AZ, USAOBJECTIVES Few medical schools incorporate formal education on human trafficking (HT) and sex trafficking (ST) into their curriculum. Our objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate education on HT and ST in the first-year medical student curriculum. METHODS The curriculum included a standardized patient (SP) experience and lecture. As part of their mandatory sexual health course, students interviewed an SP who presented with red flags for ST and then participated in a discussion led by a physician-facilitator in an observed small group setting. A multiple-choice survey to assess knowledge about HT and ST was developed and administered to students before and after the SP interview. RESULTS Of the 50 first-year medical students, 29 (58%) participated in the survey. Compared with the students’ baseline scores (according to the percentage of correct responses), scores after the educational intervention showed a significant increase in percentage correct on questions related to trafficking definition and scope (elder care, P = .01; landscaping, P = .03); victim identification ( P < .001); referral to services ( P < .001); legal issues ( P = .01); and security ( P < .001). On the basis of the feedback, a 2-hour lecture, which was adapted from the American Medical Women's Association–Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans “Learn to Identify and Fight Trafficking” training, was presented the next year to all first-year medical students as part of their longitudinal clinical skills course and before the SP case. Curriculum objectives included learning trafficking definitions, victim/survivor identification, intersections with health care, the local impact of HT, and available resources. CONCLUSION This curriculum fulfills course objectives and could be replicated at other institutions. Further evaluation of this pilot curriculum is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness.https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205231164088 |
| spellingShingle | Devika M Das Jennifer MV Talbott Jordan S Dutcher Matthew Buras Elisabeth Lim Suneela Vegunta Paru David Juliana M Kling Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of Integration into Medical School Curriculum Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development |
| title | Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of
Integration into Medical School Curriculum |
| title_full | Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of
Integration into Medical School Curriculum |
| title_fullStr | Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of
Integration into Medical School Curriculum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of
Integration into Medical School Curriculum |
| title_short | Human Trafficking Education: A Pilot Study of
Integration into Medical School Curriculum |
| title_sort | human trafficking education a pilot study of integration into medical school curriculum |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205231164088 |
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