The four-year Care of the Underserved Pathway coordinates current offerings in underserved care and presents them to students in a more formal, organized manner across the four years. This pathway provides them with the specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to provide care to underserved patients in the future, recognize them for their accomplishments while here at Baylor, and encourage them to seek future residency and practice positions that will enable them to continue caring for underserved patients.
In addition, the faculty involved in this pathway strive to supplement the curriculum by serving as positive role models for physicians who provide care to underserved patients.
Students who complete the pathway will receive a certificate at graduation.
To Enroll in the Pathway
You will receive an email from the course director in the first week of March in MS1 year to enroll in the Capstone Elective, MEFAM 535: Community Project in Underserved Care.
You can contact the course director or coordinator during the Spring of the MS1 year:
- Houston campus: Contact Anjali Aggarwal, M.D. at aaggarwa@bcm.edu
- Temple campus: Contact Maybelline Lezama, M.D. at Maybelline.Lezama@bcm.edu
Overall Goals of the Care of the Underserved Pathway
- Provide students with high-quality, hands-on clinical and service-based learning experiences at a variety of underserved sites, both ambulatory and inpatient
- Encourage students to develop a scholarly interest in underserved care by conducting a research project
- Encourage students to obtain residency training in a program that emphasizes care of the underserved
- Encourage students to care for underserved patients in their future practice
Requirements for Completing the Pathway
MS1 / MS2 Year
Foundational/Preclinical electives:
You must complete one of these electives, preferably during MS1. You will not be allowed to register for these electives once you enter clinical training.
- MEFAM-407: Introduction to the Care of the Underserved
- MEFAM-409: Longitudinal Community Medicine & Primary Care
- MEOSA-441: Communicating Scientific & Clinical Research to Patients
- MEFAM-447: Refugee and Immigrant Medicine
- MEPED-562: It Takes a Village: Foundations of Pediatric Advocacy
- MEMED-593: Beyond the Exam Room: Physician as Advocate
- MEFAM 604: Longitudinal Community Care Practices and Service
- MEFAM 606: Introduction to Telemedicine
MS2 Year
Please note that this elective is offered only in the Fall of the MS2 year.
- Capstone Elective MEFAM -535 Community Project in Underserved Care
This is a 12-week course that meets on Thursdays from 5-7 p.m., from July through October. It is designed for the second-year medical students. In this course, students complete a community project and a scholarly activity.
Please note: Before beginning work on a community Project, all Baylor College of Medicine students must complete CITI Training.
Students in Temple will submit to the IRB in Temple, and Students in Houston will submit to the IRB in Houston.
MS3 / MS4 Year
Complete two advanced clinical electives: 2-4 weeks (Can be Ambulatory or Inpatient).
Advanced Elective: Inpatient
- MESUR-501: Sub-Internship Surgery
- MEMED-503: General Medicine Sub-Internship (Ben Taub Hospital)
- MEPSY-503: Emergency Psychiatry elective (4 weeks)
- MENEU-503: Neurology Sub-Internship (Ben Taub Hospital)
- MEOBG-503: Obstetrics and Gynecology Sub-Internship - please ask to be assigned to Ben Taub Hospital
- MEPSY-504: Sub Internship Psychiatry
- MEFAM-515: Family Medicine Sub-Internship (Ben Taub Hospital)
- MEPSY-545: Inpatient Psychiatry (Ben Taub Hospital)
- MEPED-547: Pediatric Sub-Internship (Texas Children’s Hospital) – please ask to be placed on the PHM service
- VA MEMED 502 MEDVAMC: General Medicine Sub-Internship
Advanced Elective: Ambulatory
- MEPSY 200: Introduction to Emergency Psychiatry (2 weeks)
- MEOBG 201: HIV in Ob/Gyn elective (2 weeks)
- MEFAM 201: Addiction Medicine (2 weeks)
- MEMED-202: Comprehensive HIV Care for the Underserved (2 weeks)
- MEPED 206: Complex Care in Pediatrics (2 weeks)
- MEPED 207: Foster Care Pediatrics (2 weeks)
- MEERM-504: Emergency Medicine
- MEPED-506: Developmental Pediatrics
- MEPED-549: Emergency Pediatrics
- MEMED-579: Palliative Care for the Indigent
- MEMED-587: Medicine/Pediatrics Primary Care
- MEMED-630: Life with Intellectual & Developmental Disability
- MEPED-201: Child Abuse Pediatrics -2 Weeks
- MEPED-545: Adolescent Medicine & Sports Medicine-Covenant House of Texas (Homeless Shelter Clinic)
- MEPED-454: Child Abuse Pediatrics
- MEERM-820: Emergency Medicine: Introductory Pediatric Emergency Medicine- BSWH - 2 Week
- MEMED-805: Supportive Palliative Care – BSWH
- MEMED-806: Elective in Internal Medicine – BSWH
Advanced Elective: Inpatient Temple campus
- MEERM-820: Emergency Medicine: Introductory Pediatric Emergency Medicine- BSWH - 2 Week
- MEMED-805: Supportive Palliative Care – BSWH
- MEMED-806: Elective in Internal Medicine – BSWH
- MEFAM-800: Hospital-Based Family Medicine – BSWH
- MEPED-802: Hospital-Based Pediatric Care – BSWH
- MEPSY-802: Elective in Inpatient Psychiatry BSWH
- MEMED 800: Gen Medicine Sub-Internship BSWH
- MEFAM 800: Family Medicine Sub-Internship BSWH
- MENEU 800: BSWH- Neurology Sub-Internship BSWH
- MEOBG 800: OB -Gyn Sub-Internship BSWH
- MEPSY 800: Psychiatry Sub-Internship BSWH
- MEPED 800: Pediatric Sub-Internship BSWH
- MESUR 800: Surgery Sub-Internship BSWH
Recognition of the completion of the above requirements will appear on the student's official transcript and will also be noted in the commencement program.
End of Pathway Reflection Paper
Students are required to submit an end-of-pathway reflection paper in March, before graduating from Baylor College of Medicine. In this paper, students are asked to describe key experiences that have contributed to their learning about underserved care in medical school. Students are asked to explain how these key experiences have contributed to their learning in at least three of the following competency areas:
- Patient care
- Knowledge for Practice
- Interpersonal and Cross-Cultural Communication Skills
- Professional and Personal Development
- Health Systems and Social Context of Care
- Critical Thinking, Inquiry, and Problem Solving
- Teamwork and Collaboration
Extracurricular Activities
In addition to the above curriculum, extracurricular workshops will be held periodically for students in the pathway for all four years. Activities for those workshops will include:
- Discussion of current community projects being conducted by either students or faculty
- Discussion of pertinent underserved care topics
- Presentation by a physician who practices underserved care on what they actually do
- Reflection on what they are learning from their underserved care experiences
- Students will also be encouraged to volunteer in the community in activities such as the HOMES clinic
Additional Optional Activities
- Bi-annual group meetings with the pathway director (strongly encouraged)
- Leadership in the foundational courses as a student coordinator
Note for Temple campus students: Research and Scholarship Resources.
Medical School Care of the Underserved Pathway At a Glance
View a downloadable version.
| Foundational Electives - One is required | |||
| Content/Courses | Years Taken | Term | Credits |
| MEFAM 409: Longitudinal Community Medicine and Primary Care | Year 1, 2 | 1 | 1.5 |
| MEFAM 447: Refugee and Immigrant Medicine | Year 1 | 3 | 0.5 |
| MEFAM 407: Introduction to the care of the underserved | Year 1, 2 | 1 | 0.5 |
| MEPED 562: It takes a Village: Foundations of Pediatric Advocacy | Year 1 | 3 | 2 |
| MEFAM 606: Introduction to Telemedicine | Year 1 | 4 | 0.5 |
| MEMED 593: Beyond the Exam Room: Physician as Advocate | Year 1 | 4 | 0.5 |
| MEOSA 441: Communication Scientific and Clinical Research to Patients | Year 1 | 3 | 2 |
| MEFAM 604: Longitudinal Community Care Practices and Service | Year 1 | 2 | 2.25 |
| Clinical Experience/Elective (two of these are required) | Years Taken | Credits | |
| MEERM-504: Emergency Medicine (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPED-506: Developmental Pediatrics (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPED-549: Emergency Pediatrics (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEMED 579: Palliative Care for the Indigent (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEMED-587: Medicine/Pediatrics Primary Care (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEMED-630: Life with Intellectual & Developmental Disability (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPED 545: Adolescent medicine & sports medicine-Covenant House of Texas (homeless shelter clinic) (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPED 454: Child Abuse Pediatrics (Ambulatory - Four Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPSY 200: Introduction to Emergency Psychiatry (Ambulatory - Two Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 | |
| MEOBG 201: HIV in Ob/Gyn elective Ambulatory - Two Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 | |
| MEFAM 201: Addiction Medicine (Ambulatory - Two Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 | |
| MEPED 206: Complex Care in Pediatrics (Ambulatory - Two Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 | |
| MEMED-202: Comprehensive HIV Care for the Underserved (Ambulatory - Two Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 | |
| MEPED 207: Foster Care Pediatrics (Ambulatory - Two Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 | |
| MEPED -201: Child Abuse Pediatric(Ambulatory - Two Weeks) | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 | |
| MEFAM 515: Family Medicine Sub- Internship (Ben Taub Hospital) (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEMED 503: General Medicine Sub - Internship (Ben Taub Hospital) (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPED 547: Pediatric Sub internship (Texas Children’s Hospital)-Please ask to be placed in the PHM service (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MENEU 503: Neurology Sub -Internship (Ben Taub Hospital) (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEOBG 503: Obstetrics and Gynecology Sub internship (Ben Taub Hospital) (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPSY 545: Inpatient Psychiatry (Ben Taub Hospital) (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MESUR 501: Sub Internship Surgery (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPSY 503: Emergency Psychiatry Elective - 4 weeks (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEPSY 505: Sub Internship Psychiatry - 4 weeks (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| MEMED 502 MEDVAMC: General Medicine Sub-internship (Inpatient) | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 | |
| Research Elective / Scholarly Elective | |||
| MEFAM 535 elective: Community Project in Underserved Care (this elective is required) | Year 2 | 1 | |
| Non-credit Enrichment Activities | |||
| Student-organized monthly meetings with invited speakers | Year 1, 2, 3, 4 | 0 | |
| Community Outreach Activities | Year 1, 2, 3, 4 | 0 | |
| Students write an end-of-pathway paper summarizing their learning experiences in underserved care including self-reflection (required for pathway completion) | Year 4 | 0 |
Foundational Electives - One is required Clinical Electives - Two is required | ||
| Content/Courses - Inpatient | Years Taken | Credits |
| MEERM 820: Emergency Medicine: Introductory Pediatric Emergency Medicine- BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 2.0 |
| MEMED 805: Supportive Palliative Care – BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEFAM 800: Hospital-Based Family Medicine – BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEPED 802: Hospital-Based Pediatric Care – BSWH/McLane Children’s Hospital. | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEMED 806: Elective in Internal Medicine -BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEPSY 802: Elective in Inpatient Psychiatry | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| Content/Courses - Sub-Internships | ||
| MEMED 800: General Medicine - BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEFAM 800: Family Medicine - BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MENEU 800: Neurology -BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEOBG 800: OB -Gyn - BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEPSY 800: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MEPED 800: Pediatric- BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
| MESUR 800: General Surgery- BSWH | Year 3, 4 | 4.0 |
