An effective curriculum for teaching third-year medical students about medical errors and disclosure.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requires disclosure of medical errors related to sentinel events. At the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, we have developed an effective curriculum for teaching third-year medical students this content. The instructional program lasts a half day and consists of large group lectures combined with small group exercises. Lecture information is provided by patient relations, hospital administrators, and hospital defense attorneys. In small groups, students are given 2 clinical case scenarios to role play on disclosure facilitated by a physician and a legal representative. Student evaluations rate this course highly.