We offer many elective courses during the senior year to best serve each student’s individual needs and goals. Students with well-defined career goals and those who are still in the process of choosing a specific area to focus on have a wide assortment of electives to choose from. Most courses are two or four weeks in duration.
Students are also encouraged to approach faculty members for the development of unique courses.
| Department: | Medical Education |
|---|---|
| Course Number: | MEDED-4017 |
| Course Name: | Spiritual Care Elective |
| Instructors: | Joseph F. Mali & Jacob Marvel |
| Course Description: | Prerequisite: Successful completion of Phase 2. Course Description: Students will spend 2 weeks during their final year of medical school providing compassionate spiritual and emotional support to people of all faiths or of no particular faith. They will have the opportunity to see how people seek comfort in faith and become more aware of the importance of religion and spirituality for healing the whole person. PLEASE NOTE: THIS COURSE QUALIFIES AS A CLINICAL ELECTIVE. |
| Educational Objectives: | 1) Appreciate the role of spiritual care in the healing process. 2) Understand the role of multifaith chaplains within the hospital setting. 3) Experience all the spiritual services that Albany Medical Center has to offer patients: spiritual community, holy communion, baptism, Anointing of the Sick, Prayer Services. 4) Learn how to better nurture spiritual health within the patient-physician relationship and among family members. 5) Augment listening skills and improve effectiveness of emotional support. 6) Pay more attention to the religion and spirituality of patients and their families. |
| Types of Patients: | Students will see a diverse group of patients and their families in the hospital, for a variety of spiritual needs. |
| Teaching Sessions /Conferences: | Spiritual care participation. Teaching sessions. Assigned readings. CPE sessions/webinars. Debrief & reflections. |
| Resources /Readings: | Anthony Reading, "Illness and Disease," Medical Clinics of North America - Vol. 61, No. 4, July 1977. John J. Gleason, "The Four Worlds of Spiritual Assessment and Care," Journal of Religion and Health, Vol. 38, No.4, 1999. Shields M, K.A. (2015). Spiritual AIM and the Work of a Chaplain: a Model for Assessing Spiritual Needs and Outcomes in Relationship. Palliative & Supportive Care, 75-89. Wendy Cadge, Paging God: Religion in the Halls of Medicine, University of Chicago Press (2013). |
| Evaluation Method(s): | Direct Observation, Written Assignment |
| Contact Information: | Administrative Assistant: Andrew Tobias Nelson, [email protected]; Course Directors: Joseph F. Mali [email protected], 518-262-3992; Jacob Marvel [email protected], 518-262-3176 |
| Period(s) Available: | 1A: 4/6/26 - 4/19/26, 6A: 8/31/26 - 9/13/26, 11A: |
| Available Length: | 2 weeks |
| Max Students: | 4 |
| Visiting Students: | No |