Mind–Body Interactions in Health and Disease

• Biological mediators between psychological and social factors and health

• Psychological, social, and behavioral factors in chronic disease

• Psychological and social aspects of human development that influence disease and illness

• Psychosocial aspects of pain

• Psychosocial, biological, and management issues in somatization

• Interaction among illness, family dynamics, and culture

Patient Behavior

• Health risk behaviors

• Principles of behavior change

• Impact of psychosocial stressors and psychiatric disorders on manifestations of other illnesses and on health behavior

Physician Role and Behavior

• Ethical guidelines for professional behavior

• Personal values, attitudes, and biases as they influence patient care

• Physician well-being

• Social accountability and responsibility

• Work in health care teams and organizations

• Use of and linkage with community resources to enhance patient care

Physician–Patient Interactions

• Basic communication skills

• Complex communication skills

• Context of patient’s social and economic situation, capacity for self-care, and ability to participate in shared decision making

• Management of difficult or problematic physician–patient interactions

Social and Cultural Issues in Health Care

• Impact of social inequalities in health care and the social factors that are determinants of health outcomes

• Cultural competency

• Role of complementary and alternative medicine

Health Policy and Economics

• Overview of U.S. health care system

• Economic incentives affecting patients’ health-related behaviors

• Costs, cost-effectiveness, and physician responses to financial incentives

• Variations in care