Going Forward with Curriculum Revision

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Going Forward with Curriculum Revision

• David Katz, Ph.D.
• Associate Professor of Neurosciences
• Chair, Nervous System Subject Committee
• February 5, 1999

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I. Purpose

• To revitalize, modernize and improve the medical
  education curriculum in a manner that affirms and
  expands upon the core values that have long
  distinguished the CWRU School of Medicine. These
  core values include

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• Education is a fundamental mission of the School
  of Medicine
• Students and faculty are colleagues in the
  learning process
• Teaching should be interdisciplinary since
  medical knowledge is derivative and depends on
  many disciplines
• Basic science and clinical medicine should be
  mixed throughout the curriculum with major
  emphasis on the former in the early years and
  major emphasis on the latter in the later years

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• In order to adapt to the continuous and rapid
  expansion of scientific and medical information
  the curriculum must be evaluated on an ongoing
  basis to ensure that is both realistic and at the
  cutting edge of knowledge
• Opportunities for individualized scholarship
  should be maximized
• The product of this educational experience should
  be a well-rounded physician educated to think and
  solve problems scientifically but imbued with a
  humane concern for the individual patient.

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II. Starting Assumptions

• A. The existing organ system-based curriculum is
  basically sound. What is needed are primarily
• 1. Significant improvements in coordination,
  integration and delivery of the curriculum
• 2. Selective, focused modifications of the
  curriculum
• 3. Specific efforts to increase the intellectual
  level of the learning process
• B. Structural changes should be consonant with
  educational goals

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III. Educational Goals of Curriculum Reform

• A. Learning environment
• Improve faculty effectiveness quality of
  teaching
• Emphasize fundamental principles of basic and
  clinical science and train our students to be
  self-directed learners
• Maximize opportunities for individualized
  scholarly work, including protecting elective
  time in Year IV
• Improve the quality of learning resources
• Increase student accountability to the CWRU
  curriculum

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III. Educational Goals (contd)

• B. Curriculum Content
• Improve integration of basic and clinical
  sciences throughout the four years and reinforce
  basic science content in Years III and IV
• Early introduction to normal structure, function
  and behavior
• Integrate vertical themes that complement the
  organ system-based curriculum, e.g., public
  health and prevention, epidemiology,
  bioinformatics
• Improve integration of professionalism and ethics

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IV. Implementation Strategies

• A. Learning environment
• 1. Improve faculty effectiveness/quality of
  teaching
• Define learning objectives for each component of
  the curriculum and distinguish clearly between
  fundamental and enrichment topics
• Establish guidelines, standards and
  accountability for section leaders, subject
  committee chairs, etc.
• Facilitate leadership in teaching
• Provide faculty development tools for increasing
  the amount of active learning in the curriculum

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Example Improving faculty effectiveness and
raising the intellectual level of the learning
process
Small Groups
Synthesis Problem-Solving
Self-Directed Learning
Review Principles, Fill In Details
Lecture
Principles Some Detail
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IV. Implementation Strategies (contd)

• 2. Improve the quality of learning resources
• Continue development of electronic syllabus
• Continue development of ancillary and linked
  resources
• Bring anatomic/histologic collections and basic
  and clinical lab facilities up to a standard of
  excellence

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IV. Implementation Strategies (contd)

• 3. Increase student accountability to the CWRU
  curriculum
• Students must pass all components of the
  curriculum

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IV. Implementation strategies (contd)

• B. Content
• Design and oversight of the Year I and Year II
  curriculum will be the responsibility of a
  curriculum leadership council consisting of
  section leaders, subject committee chairs and
  clinical program directors, with department
  chairs playing a supportive and consultative
  role.

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Example Increasing coordination and integration

• Restructuring the gross anatomy component of the
  core academic program

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Example Integrating Clinical Science Curriculum
in Years I and II

• Coordinated design and delivery of the Core
  Physician Development Program, Clinical Sciences
  Program, Interviewing Program and Family Clinic

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Game Plan

• Develop macrostructure of Year I
• Develop tentative hourly schedule of Year I
• Integrate Vertical Themes
• Solicit faculty and student feedback
• Finalize Year I schedule by end of May