The Family Faculty Program provides pediatric residents with an opportunity to learn first-hand from families about their experiences in caring for a child with a chronic condition.
It may seem unusual, at first, to think of families as teachers in a graduate medical education program.
As high frequency users of health care, however, our Family Faculty members are uniquely qualified to teach young doctors about how to design and deliver family-centered care.
Parents are experts at balancing a child's needs with the larger social, emotional and spiritual aspects that add richness and meaning to life. Parents can help health care providers see the child first and the illness second.
Families can participate in residency training in two ways. Some are guest speakers at the Medical Center for small groups of residents. Others are matched with a pediatric resident who will visit the family in their home and spend a day at school or day care.
Family Faculty members teach from curriculum developed by fellow parents. By generously sharing stories about the day-to-day care of their child, residents learn:
- What families value in health care providers.
- What it means to work in partnership with families.
- To recognize and build on family strengths.
- How to recognize and respect a family's cultural and spiritual beliefs in health and well being.
- How chronic conditions impact families, schools and day cares and the community in which they live.
- How a health provider can best offer empathetic support when break bad news.
For further information about the Family Faculty Program, please contact Toni LaMonica, MSW at the Boyle Community Pediatrics Program.