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Curriculum

As osteopathic physicians and educators, we believe in treating the patient, not just the disease. Cultural sensitivity and awareness are a part of that and we include courses in our curriculum to make sure the doctors we graduate can appropriately treat the community they serve.

Anti-Racism Orientation Seminar

for newly matriculated medical students

This seminar covers the following topics:

  • The history of racism in America 
  • Explicit bias 
  • Implicit bias 
  • Institutional racism 
  • Systemic racism 
  • Racism in medicine 
  • Health disparities in Black and Latinx communities 
  • The importance of cultural sensitivity and cultural competence in working with patients  
  • Strategies for medical students and physicians to addressing racism  

Intro to Cultural Competency

first year medical students

The Introduction to Cultural Competence in Healthcare course will expose students to challenges in understanding cultural diversity as an important factor that may potentiate or inhibit the success of a caregiver in a community such as Harlem or Middletown. The course will also present Interprofessional educational experiences along with PharmD students on the Harlem campus and Nursing students at the Middletown campus, to further elucidate professional cultural awareness in a team setting. The Course Director and invited guests from the community will present cases, history and observations to create awareness and sensitivity to these issues. Students will then explore the issues in an effort to identify the important features that can lead to successful interactions leading to effective patient management. This process will be conducted in an open forum with all classmates participating at will. Students will also cover healthcare policy and how it improves or hinders access to care for all. This course will further deepen the students understanding of inter-professional education via a group project.

Community Service and Health & Human Behavior

for MS program students

This course is designed to address all forms of racism in medicine, and as well be able to address empowerment strategies in order to bring about cultural sensitivity and cultural competence in medical care. Specific patient considerations are provided with regard to underrepresented minorities, women, members of the LGBTQ community. A special emphasis has been made on culturally sensitive and culturally competent public health initiatives that are specific to these aforementioned populations with regard to the mitigation of COVID-19, as well as promotion of COVID-19 vaccines.  

Behavioral Medicine

for second year medical students

This course covers a variety of topics in basic behavioral medicine and psychiatry, including but not limited to; the psychiatric interview, emotional reactions to illness, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, sexual disorders, child and adolescent development and psychopathology, suicide, violence, including domestic violence, personality disorders, somatoform and factitious disorders, legal and ethical issues, and addiction medicine.