Evaluating the Extent of Social Work Education in Preclinical Medical Training
Description
This project aims to build stronger relationships between social workers and physicians through investigating current preclinical education in this field. These interprofessional relationships are crucial for addressing social determinants of health, particularly for medical students as future physicians. This is especially important when considering vulnerable patient populations including those that are unhoused, in foster care, etc. Oftentimes, these patients have unique needs that make it difficult for them to receive medical care or follow through with treatments. Social workers help to bridge this gap with their resources and understanding of these needs. Research has also shown that healthcare outcomes are improved when social workers are involved (Steketee et al., 2017).
The project began with a narrative review of literature regarding current relevant preclinical education. This elucidated that there are few resources for this subject. Of the papers available, many discussed interprofessional events in which medical students and social work students work together to solve patient scenarios. These activities provide an effective means for the two groups to interact and learn about each others’ skillsets.
To gain deeper insight, a series of interviews were conducted with medical social workers and physicians. These interviews, combined with the findings from the literature review, made clear that there is little education and exposure to medical social work for preclinical medical students. Most of this exposure occurs during residency, if at all. Addressing this gap is essential for preparing future physicians to work effectively with social workers, and better serve vulnerable populations.
Citation Information
Gowda, Mahathi Mohan and Lambert, Mark, "Evaluating the Extent of Social Work Education in Preclinical Medical Training" (2026). Office of Research DMU Research Symposium. 24.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/researchsymposium/2025rs/2025abstracts/24
Evaluating the Extent of Social Work Education in Preclinical Medical Training
This project aims to build stronger relationships between social workers and physicians through investigating current preclinical education in this field. These interprofessional relationships are crucial for addressing social determinants of health, particularly for medical students as future physicians. This is especially important when considering vulnerable patient populations including those that are unhoused, in foster care, etc. Oftentimes, these patients have unique needs that make it difficult for them to receive medical care or follow through with treatments. Social workers help to bridge this gap with their resources and understanding of these needs. Research has also shown that healthcare outcomes are improved when social workers are involved (Steketee et al., 2017).
The project began with a narrative review of literature regarding current relevant preclinical education. This elucidated that there are few resources for this subject. Of the papers available, many discussed interprofessional events in which medical students and social work students work together to solve patient scenarios. These activities provide an effective means for the two groups to interact and learn about each others’ skillsets.
To gain deeper insight, a series of interviews were conducted with medical social workers and physicians. These interviews, combined with the findings from the literature review, made clear that there is little education and exposure to medical social work for preclinical medical students. Most of this exposure occurs during residency, if at all. Addressing this gap is essential for preparing future physicians to work effectively with social workers, and better serve vulnerable populations.
