Professional Helping Skills Seminar and Lab I

Description: This course is designed to develop pre-medical student knowledge of "fundamental" professional communication skills and their application within a helping relationship. Its purpose is to teach participants how to function effectively in a facilitative, professional role when first encountering persons who present themselves in need of assistance. In addition to the lecture seminar, the laboratory component is framed within the context of one-on-one interview situations and features the processing of videotaped discussions, role-playing, and small group interactions.

For additional information about JAMP, a summer program for students at the undergraduate level, visit http://www.utsystem.edu/jamp/
 
Faculty:
Course Director/Instructor:
   Al Hesser, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Health Care Education and Research, 214/648-9590, K1.208
Co-Director/Instructor:
   Susanna Parker, M.D., Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, 214/648-2168, B5.102

Objectives: As a result of attending this course, participating pre-medical students as beginning professional helpers will develop: 
1. An increased understanding of the relationship between professionalism and the helping relationship
2. An increased understanding of the helping process
3. An increased awareness of one's own communication behaviors when functioning in the role of a beginning professional helper
4. Basic facilitative behaviors, i.e., listening, observation, and expressive skills, when functioning in the role of a beginning professional helper
5. Enhanced self-perception (confidence) of ability when functioning in the role of a beginning professional helper
6. An increased awareness of the association between the helping process and key factors, e.g., language, culture, race, and gender

Methods:   Mini-lecture(s)
                  Role Playing
                  Processing Videotaped Discussions
                  Homework Assignments:
                         Advanced Readings
                         Experiential: Practice helping in small groups of 2-3

Materials: Textbook: Helping Skills (Hill, Clara E., APA, 2004)
                  Handouts
                  Student Logbook

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