Table 1.
Innovative aspects of the "hybrid" (online and in-person) required IM* course for pre-clerkship medical students [21].
| Criteria for Innovation | Current Course | Future Courses |
|---|---|---|
| 1. There is a clear and thorough description of the problem. | Addressed the need to teach not only the "what" but also the "how" of implementing IM in clinical settings, communicating with patients | Address other aspects of IM (e.g., pre-clinical research) |
| 2. There is a statement about the degree to which the problem is generalizable. | Required courses on IM in medical schools cursory, provide awareness about IM without practical skills | Integrate existing IM programs for medical professionals into the medical school curriculum |
| 3. Key issues of the stakeholders are stated. | Students need to have skills to communicate and provide patients evidence-based guidance | Expand to other healthcare faculties (nursing, pharmacy, etc.) |
| 4. There is a delineation of the array of potential solutions | Inclusion of non-medical IM practitioners with non-IM physicians | Expand to include IM nurses, pharmacists, etc. |
| 5. The details of why a particular solution was selected and/or developed are presented. | Participation of non-IM physician mentors in workshops exposed students to a diverse range of perspectives | Include non-IM mentors from other medical and non-medical fields |
| 6. The implementation of a particular innovative solution is described. | Students and mentors practiced learned skill in workshop setting | Examine implementation of the learned skills during clinical clerkship training |
| 7. There is a critical analysis of the quality of the innovative solution. | The collaboration between 2 faculties of medicine in Israel allowed for a sharing of experience and settings | Include other faculties of medicine (Israel, worldwide) with different environment but shared goals |
| 8. There is an assessment of the innovation’s potential influence on the field, discipline, or area of study. | Pre- and post-course levels of IM-related skills, and post-course attitudes were evaluated | Conduct follow-up evaluation of skills and attitudes during clinical clerkship training |
| 9. There is an account of the degree to which the innovation described is a sustained innovation. | Feedback indicated an interest in further study of IM among both students and non-IM mentors | Create follow-up programs (e.g., elective clinical rotation for students; CME for medical professionals) |
* IM, integrative medicine.