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MEDICAL YEAR
IN REVIEW

Undergraduate Medical Education:

Developing Empathy for Patients with Substance Use

Disorders by Attending an Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting

By Lori Kels, MD, MPH and Madeline Kundler

T he integrated curriculum at University of the Incarnate Word creased empathy towards their patients. At UIWSOM, learners write
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a reflection on their experience after attending the meeting. They often
School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) introduces
learners to the topic of substance use disorders during their
first year. The UIWSOM curriculum utilizes a spiral approach to the report having a more meaningful and positive experience than ex-
pected. Excerpts from some reflections are shared below, with permis-
curriculum to reinforce key concepts. Formal substance use disorder sion from each learner.
teaching occurs during large group didactics, small group case-based
discussions and a recovering physician patient panel during the pre- “As most medical students, I learned the basic sciences through
clerkship phase. reading textbooks. For psychiatry, most of my time was spent trying
During the psychiatry clerkship in the third year, learners are re- to differentiate the dozens of antipsychotic medications or wondering
quired to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Many medical why a psychiatrist would prescribe one SSRI over the other.
schools across the country have a similar requirement, in part based on For Alcohol Use Disorder, I concentrated on the timeline of symp-
evidence that increased exposure to treatment of patients with sub- toms and knew there were many nonpharmacologic treatment strate-
stance use disorders during medical education is correlated with in- gies. I read about cognitive behavioral therapy, patients can greatly

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