The Behavioral Science Curriculum is a comprehensive, interactive online curriculum for behavioral science (BS) faculty and behavioral health training in family medicine.
This curriculum is designed to:
- Improve behavioral science faculty understanding of family medicine training structure and functions
- Clarify behavioral science faculty roles and competencies relevant to family medicine residency training
- Provide tools for teaching behavioral health in family medicine
Common Family Medicine and Behavioral Science Terminology
This module covers key terminology encountered within family medicine training and practice.
When possible, terms are contextualized within the wider context of family medicine practice and training.
*This module is based on current Milestones as of 2024.
Module learning goals:
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Define key terms for family medicine practice and training
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Define key terms for behavioral practice and training within family medicine
Module author: N Pilipenko, PhD. ABPP
Module technical developers: Denise Martinez, MPH, and Kaytlyn Batson
*Note that this information may change with the future release of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Milestones for Family Medicine training.
Family Medicine and Behavioral Science Organizations
This module highlights the function of professional organizations for family medicine and behavioral science faculty.
Organizations are often responsible for regulating, advocating, and guiding family medicine as a profession; therefore, behavioral science faculty need to be familiar with these organizations.
Moreover, as behavioral science faculty roles can be isolative, it is important to utilize resources and develop professional networks in and outside of family medicine.
Successful integration within behavioral science and family medicine organizations can improve behavioral science faculty’s job satisfaction and performance.
Module learning goals
- Outline key family medicine organizations and special interest groups (SIGs)
- Outline key behavioral science organizations and SIGs
Module author: Kaylee Jackson, PhD
Module expert: Katherine Bergs, PhD, LMFT
Module technical developers: Kaytlyn Batson and Denise Martinez, MPH
* This module is based on Milestones current as of 2025.
Role of Behavioral Science Faculty in Family Medicine
This module provides an overview of the ACGME’s requirements pertinent for behavioral science faculty scope of practice, core training outcomes are included as these describe required behavioral health competencies for graduating residents, and behavioral science faculty credentials and prior training experiences will be discussed.
* This module is based on Milestones current as of 2025.
Module learning goals:
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Explain behavioral faculty's roles and scope of practice within family medicine
Module author: Tori Avina-Heinl, MA, IMFT-S
Module experts: Allison Bickett, PhD and Linda Myerholtz, PhD
Module technical developers: Kaytlyn Batson and Denise Martinez, MPH
*Note that this information may change with the future release of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Milestones for Family Medicine training.
Boundary and Role Management
This module summarizes and reviews the key roles of behavioral science faculty within family medicine programs and reviews the ethical guidelines for behavioral health roles in comparison to the medical ethical guidelines. It explores the culture of medicine, how that differs from the culture of behavioral health, and how to establish and maintain boundaries as a BS faculty.
* This module is based on Milestones current as of 2025.
Module learning goals:
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Summarize multiple key roles of behavioral faculty in family medicine training
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Review professional standards and ethical guidelines for interprofessional healthcare teams, including behavioral science faculty
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Summarize common ethical dilemmas related to boundary crossings encountered by behavioral science faculty
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Review models for navigating common ethical dilemmas and boundary crossings that BS faculty encounter
Module author: T. Avina-Heinl, MA, IMFT-S
Module experts: Randall Reitz, PhD and Meredith Williamson, PhD, ABP
Module technical developers: Kaytlyn Batson and Denise Martinez, MPH
*Note that this information may change with the future release of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Milestones for Family Medicine training.
Understanding Family Medicine Evaluation Processes
This module will present organizations and bodies that oversee family medicine accreditation and governance. It will present the process of learner evaluation and explain review and remediation/due process procedures. The module will also summarize competency-based medical education, present and define support activities eg coaching, mentoring, advising. Finally, it will outline the role of BS faculty within these processes.
* This module is based on Milestones current as of 2025.
Module learning goals:
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Outline organizations and governing bodies that oversee family medicine accreditation and governance
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Summarize competency-based medical education
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Overview of remediation, probation, termination/non-renewal
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Outline the behavioral science faculty role within the family medicine evaluation process
Module author: M. Williamson, PhD, ABPP
Module experts: Terri Wall, PhD and Christopher Haymaker, PhD
Module technical developers: Kaytlyn Batson and Denise Martinez, MPH
*Note that this information may change with future release of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Milestones for Family Medicine training.
Introduction to Models of Care Delivery
This module outlines efforts towards integration of BH services within primary care (PC) settings. It explains the continuum of integration within PC as well as the rationale and evidence behind integration efforts. Finally, this module outlines characteristics of three main models of integrated health care - Screening, Brief Intervention and Referring to Treatment (SBIRT), Collaborative Care Model (CoCM), and Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. The module concludes with a list of resources for behavioral science and family medicine faculty who are interested in promoting behavioral health integration within family medicine training.
Module learning goals:
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Outline rationale behind integration of behavioral health (BH) within primary care and medical settings
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Explain the continuum of integration within primary care settings
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Discuss 5As and GATHER models integration in primary care settings
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Present three main models of behavioral health integration in the United States
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Outline resources to promote integration of behavioral health within family medicine
Module author: N. Pilipenko, PhD, ABPP
Module experts: Kathleen Ashton, PhD, ABPP, Christopher (Chris) Hunter, PhD, ABPP
Module technical developers: Kaytlyn Batson and Denise Martinez, MPH
*Note that this information may change with the future release of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Milestones for Family Medicine training.
Family Medicine Residency Settings
This module covers different types of FM residency settings and describes special considerations across these settings. Modules also describe various roles that BS faculty may need to take on, based on the type/unique characteristics of the FM residency setting.
* This module is based on Milestones current as of 2025.
Module learning goals:
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Increase knowledge of funding source for FM residency programs and FM residency program settings
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Describe special considerations related to rural and underserved FM residency program settings
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Understand unique characteristics of the BS faculty roles as dedicated by the FM residency program settings
Module author: M. Williamson, PhD, ABPP
Module expert: Brandon Williamson, MD, FAAFP
Module technical developers: Kaytlyn Batson and Denise Martinez, MPH
*Note that this information may change with the future release of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education’s (ACGME) Milestones for Family Medicine training.
Authors
Lead Editors & Authors:
Meredith Williamson, PhD, ABPP
Dr Williamson is a clinical associate professor and director of integrated behavioral health for the Department of Primary Care and Rural Medicine within the Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine. She is the associate program director for the Texas A&M Family Medicine Residency Program. Dr Williamson is a licensed psychologist and board-certified in clinical health psychology. She is a board member for the American Board of Clinical Health Psychology. She is the cochair for the Behavioral Scientist Curriculum Special Project Team and the STFM Family and Behavioral Health Collaborative. She serves as a research faculty for the STFM Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship. Dr Williamson is passionate about behavioral health education within family medicine. She has secured over $15 million in federal funding to facilitate behavioral health education. She was awarded the Association of American Medical Colleges Mental and Behavioral Health Training Award and recognized by the White House for her innovations in integrated behavioral health education for family physicians.
Nataliya (Natalie) Pilipenko, PhD, ABPP 
Dr Pilipenko is an assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where she serves as director of behavioral medicine for the family medicine residency and director of wellness for the center for family and community medicine. She is the chair of the Committee on Professional Practice and Standards (COPPS) at the American Psychological Association (APA). Dr Pilipenko is board-certified in clinical health psychology and serves as a mentor and reviewer for the American Board of Clinical Health Psychology. Her work focuses on integrated behavioral health education, clinical interviewing, and wellness in primary care. She is a recipient of multiple teaching and innovation grants and has authored national guidelines and textbook chapters on behavioral medicine and health equity.
Additional Authors:
Kaylee Jackson, PhD
Dr Kaylee Jackson is a clinical assistant professor and a faculty member for the integrated behavioral health program and the Texas A&M Family Medicine Residency Program in the Department of Primary Care and Rural Medicine within the Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine. She is engaged in resident education, as well as psychology student education in integrated behavioral health within family medicine. Dr Jackson is a member of the American Psychological Association Society for Health Psychology (Division 38) Integrated Primary Care Special Interest Group. She is passionate about behavioral health education across disciplines and has authored book chapters and manuscripts promoting evidence-based behavioral medicine and research.
Tori Avina-Heinl, MA, IMFT-S
Tori is passionate about workplace wellbeing and utilizes her training in Clinical Psychology to provide a systemic lens in her work. In her role as director of behavioral sciences at Doctors Hospital Family Practice, she implemented CBT for insomnia for the primary care setting and advocates for integrated behavioral health services.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the STFM Foundation for the grant support for this project.
The authors would like to thank Molly Clark, PhD, for her valuable mentorship and thoughtful contributions to the conceptualization and implementation of this project
The authors would like to acknowledge members of the Family and Behavioral Health Collaborative and additional members of STFM who offered their feedback during the development of these modules and participated as experts for video interviews.
The authors would like to acknowledge Kaytlyn Batson and Denise Martinez for their assistance with the technical development and implementation of the contents.
