Members of the Initiative team were committed to creating a learning environment that challenged the traditional “chalk and talk” model of medical education and that encouraged a group process of information-sharing. Participants received case studies throughout the program to allow them to practice their skills and each participant also had a mock “appointment” with a standardized patient. By eschewing a didactic approach for an interactive one, instructors offered an alternative to the one-sided communication model typically used in an exam room, which often mirrors the power tactics inherent in an abusive relationship.
The pilot program received extremely high evaluations and was rated a “United States Air Force Approved Benchmark Program” by the USAF Health Services Inspection team during its 2002 hospital accreditation visit. In the first months after training, facilitators conducted 11 formal training sessions (to approximately 120 healthcare staff). Trainers also presented at Grand Rounds, family practice rounds and drug representative lunch rounds for physicians and nurses. Medical personnel continue to train their peers on domestic violence with oversight and consultation from the current program director, establishing domestic violence as a significant health issue and encouraging universal screening.