PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE II

Catalog description

Professional Practice II builds upon foundational professional competencies by emphasizing patient-centered communication, psychosocial assessment, counseling skills, and culturally responsive care across diverse clinical contexts. The course focuses on the integration of behavioral, emotional, social, and spiritual factors into clinical decision-making, with particular attention to health disparities, social determinants of health, and special healthcare needs. Through simulated patient encounters, case-based discussions, reflective practice, and skills-based workshops, students develop proficiency in motivational interviewing, behavior change counseling, trauma-informed care, and end-of-life communication. The course also addresses complex issues including substance use, grief and bereavement, violence exposure, and chronic illness coping. By strengthening clinical reasoning, empathy, and interdisciplinary collaboration, Professional Practice II prepares students to deliver compassionate, ethically grounded, and holistic care in both acute and longitudinal clinical settings.