Medical Students for Mental Health: Curriculum Development for JABSOM’s Community Health Program

Abstract

Community Health Programs offered at JABSOM allow students to improve their communication and professionalism while building a sense of cultural humility and social responsibility. These programs are mandatory for all first-year JABSOM students. Through partnerships with community organizations, students learn to promote health and improve the quality of life for individuals in their community. Although JABSOM offers a wide range of Community Health electives, one focused on serving patients with mental health needs was not available in the curriculum. The ‘Medical Students for Mental Health’ (MSMH) elective was developed in June 2018, with goals of increasing student interest in mental health, developing student competence in serving individuals with mental illness, reducing stigmas associated with mental health, and expanding JABSOM’s range of community outreach.

The project originally partnered with the Hawaiʻi State Hospital (HSH), a psychiatric forensic hospital. However, in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related precautions to in-person service activities, volunteering with HSH became restricted. In response, project leaders formed a partnership with the United Self Help (USH), a local self-help group that had traditionally offered support groups for individuals suffering from a mental illness. Students helped USH transition their support groups to a virtual interface, and served as support group facilitators.