Student Handbook: Curriculum Goals

The mission of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is “to assist the people of central and southern Illinois in meeting their present and future health needs through education, service and research.”

In serving this mission our goal is to prepare students to be

• Physicians who are compassionate, tolerant and respectful in caring for patients and trustworthy and truthful in all of their professional dealings
• Physicians who understand the scientific basis of medicine and are capable of applying that knowledge in the practice of medicine
• Physicians who are highly skilled in providing care to individual patients
• Physicians who are self directed, life-long learners capable of employing systematic approaches for promoting, maintaining, and improving the health of individuals and populations
• Physicians who understand the roles of other health care professionals and who collaborate with and learn from them in fulfilling their roles as clinicians and patient advocates
• Physicians who are skilled in the critical appraisal of new scientific knowledge and its application to clinical practice
• Physicians who recognize and accept limitations in their knowledge and clinical skills and who are committed to improving their knowledge, ability, and habits and patterns of practice
• Physicians who through knowledge of health care policy and practice issues, are responsive to the changing environment of health care
• Physicians who recognize that spirituality and cultural beliefs are important elements of the health and well being of patients 
• Physicians who advocate the interests of patients over self interests and their own personal rewards