National Trends in Curriculum: Implications for Pathology Education

1
National Trends in CurriculumImplications for
Pathology Education

• Ilene Harris, PhD
• University of Illinois College of Medicine at
  Chicago
• Department of Medical Education
• Department of Pathology

2
Overview

• Current curriculum issues in pathology education
  GRIPE issues?
• Curriculum studies The basics and the options
• National curriculum trends
• Implications for pathology education

3
Current Curriculum Issues for - GRIPERs?

• What have we heard here?

4
Curriculum Issues The Basics

• Needs Assessment?
• Goals and Objectives?
• Educational Strategies and Methods?
• Content Organization, sequence, departmental
  and faculty responsibilities
• Educational strategies
• Teaching methods
• Assessment of Performance?
• Evaluation of Programs?

5
National TrendsGoals and Objectives MSOP

• Knowledgeable
• Normal structure and function
• Molecular, biomedical and cellular mechanisms
• Altered structure and function - pathology and
  pathophysiology
• Scientific method
• Lifelong learning
• Medical School Objectives Writing Group, 1999

6
National TrendsGoals and Objectives MSOP

• Altruistic
• Ethical decision-making
• Compassionate treatment
• Honesty and integrity
• Collaboration with other health professionals
• Advocacy for patients
• Commitment to continuous improvement

7
National TrendsGoals and Objectives MSOP

• Skillful
• Communication
• History-taking
• Physical examination
• Perform routine procedures
• Interpret results of common dx texts
• Reason deductively to solve clinical problems
• Management strategies
• Relieving pain and suffering

8
National TrendsGoals and Objectives MSOP

• Dutiful Applied knowledge of -
• Non-biological determinants of poor health
• Epidemiology of common maladies in a population,
  and approaches to reduce
• Risk factor identification and reduction
• Retrieval of biomedical information and use in
  care of individuals and populations
• Approaches to organization, financing and
  delivery of health care
• Advocacy for access to care

9
National Trends Goals and ObjectivesACGME
Competencies

• Extension of ACGME competencies to UGME, to
  comprise a continuum
• Knowledge
• Patient Care
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Professionalism
• Practice-based Learning
• Systems-based Practice

10
National Trends Goals and ObjectivesImplication
s for Pathology Education

• Consider What should be the core pathology
  curriculum for UGME?
• Consider Role of pathology education in
  developing MSOP or ACGME competencies, such as
• Professionalism
• Communication skills
• Practice-based learning
• Systems-based practice

11
Educational Strategies Major IssuesEach on a
Continuum

• S-P-I-C-E-S (Harden, 1986)
• Student-centered/teacher-centered
• Problem-solving/information-gathering
• Integration (Organization) Multidisciplinary/disc
  ipline-based
• Community-based/hospital-based
• Electives/standard program
• Systematic/apprenticeship

12
Education Strategies Options

• Student-Centered
• Students decide on objectives content
  learning methods, resources, sequence, pace
  timing of assessment.
• Support for -
• Emphasis on student
• Increased student motivation
• Preparation for continuing education

• Teacher-Centered
• Teachers make all curricular decisions and are
  central, with emphasis on formal lectures and
  labs.
• Support for -
• Faculty experience and resources
• Student experience

13
Education Strategies Options

• Information gathering
• Students acquire knowledge of facts and concepts
• Support for -
• Learn fundamentals of a discipline
• Resource availability
• Teacher expertise
• Student security

• Problem-based learning
• Students tackle problems that provide stimulus to
  learn basic and clinical sciences
• Support for -
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Develop integrated body of knowledge
• Facilitate motivation through active
  participation, feedback, and relevance

14
Education Strategies Options

• Multidisciplinary
• Inter-relate subjects taught in separate
  courses/departments around organ systems, cases,
  problems
• Support for -
• Student motivation
• Student problem-solving skills
• Faculty communication
• Collaboration and sharing of teaching resources

• Discipline-based
• Support for -
• Learn fundamentals of a discipline
• Faculty enthusiasm and excitement about teaching
  in their own discipline
• Less costly
• Faculty comfort
• Student guidance related to career choices

15
National Trends in CurriculumEducational
Strategies

• Student-centered
• Competency-based
• Problem-based learning
• Integrated curricula
• Horizontal Subjects traditionally taught at
  same time
• Vertical Subjects traditionally taught in
  different phases

16
National Trends Education StrategiesImplication
s for Pathology Education

• Consider What should be the role of pathology
  in the new UGME curricula?
• Consider What should be the core base of
  pathology knowledge in the new UGME curricula?
• Consider How can pathologists achieve and
  maintain a meaningful and visible role in the new
  UGME curricula?

17
Teaching Methods Options and Trends in Student
Grouping

• Whole class
• Lecture method
• Active learning methods, e.g., team learning
• Small group
• Individual

18
Teaching Methods GroupingImplications for
Pathology Education

• To maximize active learning in large group and
  small group setting, need -
• Faculty resources
• Faculty development

19
Teaching Methods Options and Trends in Tools
and Resources

• Printed text
• Slides
• Specimens
• Computer applications
• Simulations
• Models
• Patients
• Chosen, based on Objectives, resources, skills
  in use

20
Options/Trends in Teaching ResourcesImplications
for Pathology Education

• Expand use of -
• Computer applications
• Simulations
• Patients
• Consider -
• Role of microscope/slides vs computer images
• Pathology educators can -
• Lead the way with use of images

21
Assessment Methods Options

• Techniques
• Written MC, Essay, Short-answer
• Oral
• Clinical, e.g., standardized (e.g., OSCE)
• Reports by tutors or supervisors
• Portfolios
• Assessor
• Internal
• External
• Self-assessment
• Timing Continuous end-of-course, mixture

22
National Trends in AssessmentImplications for
Pathology Education

• Consider role of pathology in standardized
  clinical exams
• Increase use of student self-assessment
  approaches
• Consider role of pathology in use of portfolios
  for assessment

23
National Trends in CurriculumImplications for
Pathology Education Leaders

• Effective course leadership and instruction
• Motivation, and communication, with other faculty
  members
• Progress in the field of pathology education
• Requires deliberation about implications of
  national curriculum trends for pathology
  education
• Goals and objectives
• Educational approaches and instructional methods
• Assessment methods