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"An Ounce of Prevention"
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     Syllabus

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     ACTion student
     interest group

Health Care
     & Prevention
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     Opportunities
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Program on Prevention in Eduducation & Practice
About the Program

The mission of the UNC School of Medicine Program on Prevention in Education & Practice is to improve the health of the people of North Carolina and beyond by education of medical students and others in evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention. The primary target group of the Program is UNC medical students, with secondary target groups including other graduate students, residents and fellows, and faculty in the School of Medicine, as well as physicians and other clinicians and their staffs in practice in North Carolina. It is important to note that the Program's goal is to provide education in evidence-based prevention rather than prevention practices that are not backed by strong evidence of effectiveness.

Education in prevention for these groups involves developing and fostering:

an understanding of the current state of knowledge about prevention;

an understanding of the methods for increasing and refining that knowledge;

the skills necessary for using that knowledge effectively to contribute to improving the health of the public; and

a particular mind-set (i.e., an ability to recognize the prevention issues inherent in every medical encounter and the health problems of the community)

The Program's mission also includes encouraging the efficient delivery of preventive services and supporting prevention research. Strong research and service programs are important in their own rights and are essential for a strong educational program. The Program, however, does not view its mission as actually providing patient care nor in conducting research (other than evaluation of its educational interventions).

The School of Medicine's Program on Prevention in Education & Practice works in close collaboration with, but is distinct from, the UNC Center for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention. The Center involves all five health affairs schools in research activities while the Program's focus is education for the School of Medicine.

E-mail comments & questions to Amy L. Ward
Last updated 10/06/02