RealMD

RealMD is a community where students, faculty, and staff support and challenge one another to maintain a focus on one’s highest purpose in medicine.

THE PURPOSE OF REALMD

The purpose of the RealMD Program is to promote a connection to one’s highest purpose in medicine.

Program Objectives: From participation in RealMD, we would like to realize the following outcomes for those in our community:

  • PURPOSE: Clearer Sense of Purpose. Students and members of the community have greater clarity and connection with the reason they are in medicine or medical education. They will be better able to withstand external pressures related to performance which often take away from purposeful learning.
  • COMMUNITY: Greater Sense of Empathy and Belonging. Students and members of the community can better relate to one another. People feel that they are known and cared for by the members of the professional community.
  • MEANING: Greater Sense of Self-Determination. Students and members of the community can make choices about their education and professional experience which are more in line with their values and professional purpose.

As a result of the greater sense of purpose, belonging, and self-determination, students will reflect back on their medical school experience and say, “That was hard, but it was one of the most meaningful times in my life.”

Program Features

  • RealMD is a professional development program which takes a holistic approach towards the development of the student during medical school.
  • We believe the student’s professional identity must be cultivated and integrated into the context of career and leadership development.
  • REAL MD (Professional Dev) = Professional Identity Dev + Career Dev + Leadership Dev
  • A main strategy of the program is to link professional identity development with career development with leadership development. The integrated approach strengthens each component and makes the whole program more effective.
  • The program seek to promote practice along three principles:

    • Leadership-– relating to the objective of Purpose. We don’t mean stuff to put on the CV. We mean the activities that people take on through one’s initiative to benefit others within the professional community or the patient community. How has a person, as a result of being in a community, left that community in a better place?

    • Participation-relating to the objective of Community. Relationships are an indispensable part of a meaningful education. People value relationships through their participation. RealMD facilitates community and belonging through activities which invite people to show up and participate.

    • Reflection-– relating to the objective of Meaning. What is a person’s (unique) purpose? A professional is not a blind follower of rules and incentives. Professionals take the responsibility to define their relationship to their profession. One’s purpose is one aspect of the relationship and taking time to reflect is an essential part of the process.
  • Part of the process of professional identity and leadership development is agency and choice. Only those who are free to choose can make the commitment needed to grow in meaning, community, and purpose. Therefore, the RealMD program is an “opt-in” program. Learners can participate based on the depth of their commitment. For some, certain elements may not feel appropriate. The RealMD community will encourage learners to engage in developmental activities but will not compel people to do so.

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