Course SyllabusCommunity-Oriented Primary Care



Required readings
    Optional readings
      Peer Activities
        QuizzesAssignments
          DiscussionsQuestionnare

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          Community - Oriented Primary Care Homepage

          This course has been updated to reflect better the current themes surrounding Community-oriented Primary care. If you are already enrolled in this version of the course, you are allowed to complete it and obtain a certificate or register for the new course version using this link.

          This Community-Oriented Primary Care introductory course (COPC) provides a model for integrating primary care services into communities, and targets health-related concerns with active community participation. All parts of this training are free, including registration, learning, testing, and a certificate of completion. This course is intended for physicians, nurses and allied health professionals in training and in practice.

          This Community-Oriented Primary Care course is co-sponsored by the  American Association of Public Health Physicians, the American College of Preventive Medicine,   Global Health through Education, Training and Service (GHETS), the  University of Gezira, and sponsored in part by the Annenberg Physician Training Program. The course uses competencies adapted from the  University of Nebraska and the  George Washington University COPC MPH concentrations. The course uses resources from accredited, world-class organizations such as the  American Journal of Public Health, the  DC Area Health Education Center, the  University of Kansas Community Tool Box, and the  World Health Organization. The course was inspired by the vision of David Egilman, MD, MPH and the course developers are: Tess Bird, MSc; and Nicolas Druar. Our Advisory Group is: Pyser Edelsack, MSW; David Egilman, MD, MPH; Jack Geiger, MD, MSciHyg; Jaime Gofin, MD, MPH; Ravinder Mehta, MD; and Jane Frances Namatovu, BDS, MMED, FAMMED/COMM PRACT. 

          For a publication on this course’s efficacy, see “Building Public Health Capacity through Online Global Learning,” (2018), Open Praxis, to see more research related to NextGenU.org’s educational model, check out NextGenU.org’s publication page. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of future updates, new courses, and to be part of our community.

          There are two components to this course. The first component involves completing the modules and which provide: 

          1. A basic introduction to Community Oriented Primary Care principles and practice; 
          2. Strategies to define and characterize the community; 
          3. A rationale for prioritization and for assessing the community in detail; 
          4. Skills to develop a plan for a COPC intervention and evaluation, and community organizing;
          5. An understanding of COPC in the contemporary, globalized world.


          In order to receive a certificate of completion, you will need to also complete the second, skills-based component of the course, which requires you to identify a mentor who works in the field of health services, but she/he does not necessarily have to have prior experience with COPC, who will serve as your main liaison to this community. 

          The results of your assessments will be provided to you, and we can report your testing information and share your work with anyone you request (school, employer, etc.). The evaluation you provide at the course’s conclusion will help us improve the training for future students. We hope you find this Lifestyle Medicine course a wonderful learning experience!

          Approximate time for the required readings in this course is 19 hours at an average rate of 144 words/minute; in addition, there are required activities as described above. The course requires completion of peer and mentored activities. At the end of each lesson, there is a practice quiz. At the end of the course, after you’ve completed each lesson, quiz, and activity, you’ll have access to a final exam, and a chance to assess the training. Once you’ve passed that last test, you will be able to download a certificate of completion from NextGenU.org and our course’s co-sponsoring organizations (listed above). We keep all of your personal information confidential, never sell any of your information, and only use anonymized data for research purposes, and we are also happy to report your testing information and share your work with anyone (your school, employer, etc.) at your request. We hope that you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your feedback to help us improve this training for future students.

          Engaging with this Course:

          You may browse this course for free to learn for your personal enrichment; there are no requirements.

          To obtain a certificate
          • Show in the registration fields that you have the appropriate prerequisites to be certified. For this course you should have a degree that allows you to practice in primary care.
          • Complete all the reading requirements.
          • Complete all quizzes and pass with a 70% with unlimited attempts..
          • Complete 4 peer activity and associated certification quizzes.
          • Find a mentor and complete the 3 required mentor activities.
          • Successfully complete the final exam with a minimum of 70%  and a maximum of 3 attempts.
          • Complete the self and course evaluation forms.


          To obtain credit 
          • Complete all requirements listed above for the certificate. 
          • Your learning institution or workplace should approve the partner-university-sponsored NextGenU.org course for educational credit, as they would for their learner taking a course anywhere.  
            • NextGenU.org is happy to provide your institution with:
              • a link to and description of the course training, so they can see all its components, including the cosponsoring universities and other professional organization cosponsors; 
              • your grade on the final exam;
              • your work products (e.g. peer and mentored activities), and any other required or optional shared materials that you produce and authorize to share with them;  
              • your evaluations -- course, self, peer, and mentor assessments;
              • a copy of your certificate of completion, with the co-sponsoring universities and other organizations listed.

          To obtain a degree co-sponsored with NextGenU.org, registrants must be enrolled in a degree program as a student of a NextGenU.org institutional partner. If you think that your institution might be interested in offering a degree with NextGenU.org contact us.

          We hope that you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your assessment and feedback to help us improve this training for future students.

          Next Steps

          • Complete the registration form.
          • Begin the course with Module 1: Introduction to COPC Principles and Practice. In each lesson, read the description, complete all required readings and any required activity, and take the corresponding quizzes.

          *This course is sponsored in part by the Annenberg Physician Training Program: Abstinence-based Recovery from Addictive Disease. Click here to see curricular threading related to mental health disorders.

          Required readings
            Optional readings
              Peer Activities
                Quizzes
                  Assignments
                    Discussions
                      Questionnare

                        Module 1: Introduction to COPC Principles and Practice

                        Competency covered in this module: 
                        • Describe, analyze, and integrate the conceptual framework, methodology, and principles of COPC.

                        Module 1: Lesson 1: Introduction to COPC

                        Learning Objectives:
                        Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
                        • Understand the history and practice of COPC.
                        • Discuss the meaning and scope of the Five Principles of COPC.
                        • Analyze the methodology of the Six Steps of COPC.
                        • Understand the definition and meaning of community and the value of community participation within the COPC process.
                        Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 3 hours.

                        Click here to start this lesson
                        Required readingsOptional readingsPeer Activities
                          QuizzesAssignmentsDiscussionsQuestionnare

                            Module 2: Defining and Characterizing the Community: Identifying Needs and Resources

                            Competencies covered in this module:
                            • Define a community for the purpose of clinical care at the community level.
                            • Plan an assessment of health needs in a community, using available data for the collection and analysis of health information.

                            Module 2: Lesson 1: Defining and Characterizing the Community

                            Learning Objectives:
                            Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
                            • Learn how to define and characterize communities using various techniques and resources.
                            • Understand the use of epidemiology in the assessment of health conditions.
                            • Learn how to identify problems as well as how to locate assets and resources within a community.
                            • Consider why and how initiatives should address the social, environmental, and other determinants of health.
                            Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 5 hours.

                            Click here to start this lesson

                            Required readingsOptional readingsPeer Activities
                              QuizzesAssignmentsDiscussionsQuestionnare

                                Module 3: Prioritization and Detailed Assessment: Preparing for your Intervention

                                Competencies covered in this module:
                                • Justify the need for the prioritization process in COPC, and define objective criteria to be used for the selection and determination of methods to discuss process and decision.
                                • Gather best-practices models for community-based interventions and the necessary quantitative and qualitative information for implementation in the focus community.

                                Module 3: Lesson 1: Preparing for your Intervention

                                Learning Objectives:
                                Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
                                • Understand the prioritization process of health conditions in the development of COPC.
                                • Provide a detailed assessment of the selected health condition.
                                • Consider the COPC process in action (as in the Jerusalem example).
                                • Gather information to design a promising intervention utilizing community input.
                                Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 5 hours.

                                Click here to start this lesson
                                Required readingsOptional readingsPeer Activities
                                  QuizzesAssignmentsDiscussionsQuestionnare

                                    Module 4: Implementing the COPC Approach

                                    Competency covered in this module: 

                                    • Demonstrate the ability to plan and develop all the stages of a systematic COPC intervention considering evidence based interventions.

                                    Module 4: Lesson 1: Implementing the COPC Approach

                                    Learning Objectives:
                                    Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
                                    • Understand COPC intervention design and setup.
                                    • Consider your role as a health care provider within the community.
                                    • Identify key community members.
                                    • Use available resources to develop a plan that follows the six steps of the COPC process.
                                    • Consider methods for evaluating your initiative and the importance of reassessment.
                                    • Describe how to approach different community problems to develop a plan following the COPC process.
                                    Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 3 hours.

                                    Click here to start this lesson
                                    Required readingsOptional readingsPeer Activities
                                      QuizzesAssignments
                                        DiscussionsQuestionnare

                                          Module 5: Explore the Skills Involved in Community Organizing

                                          Competency covered in this module:
                                          • Apply appropriate methods to promote community participation in the development of COPC.

                                          Module 5: Lesson 1

                                          Learning Objectives:
                                          Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
                                          • Understand the basics of community organizing
                                          • Consider the values and motivations for organizing
                                          • Understand the methods of community organizing
                                          Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 2 hours.

                                          Click here to start this lesson
                                          Required readingsOptional readingsPeer Activities
                                            QuizzesAssignments
                                              DiscussionsQuestionnare

                                                Module 6: Considering COPC in Global Health

                                                Competency covered in this module: 

                                                • Evaluate and analyze the challenges on COPC programs.
                                                • Assess the conceptual and practical factors to take into account the applicability of COPC.
                                                • Recognize the socio-economic, cultural, environmental, political and health policy elements that could challenge the application of COPC and develop alternative community-oriented application solutions.
                                                • Communicate the principles and features of the practice of COPC to lay populations, to health professionals, and to other related audiences.

                                                Module 6: Lesson 1: COPC in Global Health

                                                Learning Objectives:
                                                Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
                                                • Consider contemporary COPC in a globalized world.
                                                • Understand the importance of integrating community-oriented interventions into larger health systems.
                                                • Recognize the social, economic, cultural, environmental, political, and health policy elements that may influence COPC practice.
                                                • Develop an understanding of case-studies and reviews of community-oriented health services.
                                                Approximate time required for the readings for this lesson (at 144 words/minute): 2 hours.

                                                Click here to start this lesson

                                                Final Exam

                                                Required readings
                                                  Optional readings
                                                    Peer Activities
                                                      QuizzesAssignments
                                                        Discussions
                                                          Questionnare

                                                            Course and Self Evaluation & Certificate

                                                            In this section, you can provide feedback about this course to help us make NextGenU.org better. Once evaluations are completed, you will be able to download your certificate of completion.

                                                            Click here give your feedback

                                                            Required readingsOptional readings
                                                              Peer Activities
                                                                Quizzes
                                                                  Assignments
                                                                    Discussions
                                                                      Questionnare

                                                                      Course Activities

                                                                      Required readings
                                                                        Optional readings
                                                                          Peer Activities
                                                                            Quizzes
                                                                              Assignments
                                                                                Discussions
                                                                                  Questionnare