Eleven examples of curriculum change in medical schools over the past ten years (Various)Implementing entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in practice (ten Cate)A place for open book exams in Medical School curricula (Teodorczuk)
Curriculum Development: A dynamic change inside the chrysalis
Trevor Gibbs
Celebrating forty years of Medical Teacher, this editorial gives an overview of the papers included in this special issue that describe specific and significant changes in curricula over the past ten years.
“There is nothing more constant than change”.
Integrated curriculum and the change process in undergraduate medical education
Sateesh B. Arja, Sireesha B. Arja, Raghavendrarao M. Venkata, Abraham Nayakanti, Praveen Kottathveetil and Yogesh Acharya
This paper explains the change process followed for the implementation of the new curriculum at Avalon University School of Medicine and its evaluation.
“Curricular development should be an ongoing development”.
The alignment imperative in curriculum renewal
Kulamakan Kulasegaram, Maria Mylopoulos, Paul Tonin, Stacey Bernstein, Pier Bryden, Marcus Law, Jana Lazor, Richard Pittini, Sanjeev Sockalingam, Glendon R. Tait and Patricia Houston
Mindful of the pitfalls of misalignment, the renewal process focused deliberately on alignment between the various components of the curriculum: instructional methods, student assessment, faculty development, and the larger purpose of serving students and society.
“Evaluating the impact of curricular change on clinician practice and patient outcomes is simultaneously the holy grail of curriculum evaluation and it's Mount Everest”.
Evolution of medical education in the Department of Medicine of the Complutense University of Madrid in the last decade
L. Collado-Yurrita, M. J. Ciudad-Cabanas and M. A. Cuadrado-Cenzual
Developments in the last 10-15 years described include patient centred medical education, competency based learning and the use of simulation and virtual reality.
“All the professionals involved in medical education must feel, exercise, and understand it as a dynamic process in continuous change”.
“Moving a mountain”: Practical insights into mastering a major curriculum reform at a large European medical university
Asja Maaz, Tanja Hitzblech, Peter Arends, Antje Degel, Sabine Ludwig, Agata Mossakowski, Ronja Mothes, Jan Breckwoldt and Harm Peters
This article provides practical insights and guidance for those institutions which may be considering or have already started to undergo a major reform of their undergraduate programmes towards competency medical education.
“In our times, the need for adjustment has become a constant feature”.
Training medical students for the twenty-first century: Rationale and development of the Utrecht curriculum “CRU+”
Olle ten Cate, Jan Borleffs, Marijke van Dijk and Tineke Westerveld on behalf of numerous faculty members and students involved in the subsequent Utrecht curricular reforms
Over a period of about 20 years the Utrecht undergraduate medical curriculum has undergone significant changes, this paper describes these changes.
“The aim of the Utrecht medical program is to educate medical professionals, ready to take up responsibilities in health care”.
School of Medicine of Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte: A traditional curriculum with innovative trends in medical education
Daniel Fernandes Mello De Oliveira, Breno C. C. Simas, Adrian Lucca Guimaraes Caldeira, Augusto De Galvao e Brito Medeiros, Marise Reis Freitas, José Diniz Jr and Rosiane Diniz
An investment in faculty development and strong student engagement has facilitated a significant change in the curriculum and a different learning environment in the school.
“In spite of the inner obstacles related to curriculum reform, it is still possible to achieve better outcomes in medical education when faculty development, student protagonism and innovative learning methods are orchestrated together”.
A decade of reform in medical education: Experiences and challenges at Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Sara Mortaz Hejri, Azim Mirzazadeh, Mahboobeh Khabaz Mafinejad, Maryam Alizadeh, Narges Saleh, Roghayeh Gandomkar and Mohammad Jalili
A description of how with appropriate leadership, faculty development and adjustments to the organisational structure, significant curriculum reform is possible in a university with a long history and deep rooted traditions.
“Overall, the process of curriculum change seems like an endless, yet invaluable and satisfying endeavour toward a better future”.
Transforming medical education in Kazakhstan: Successful case of internationalization from Karaganda State Medical University
Viktor Riklefs, Gulmira Abakassova, Aliya Bukeyeva, Sholpan Kaliyeva, Bakhtiyar Serik, Alma Muratova and Raushan Dosmagambetova
Being the most active member of International Space Education, Karaganda State Medical University (KSMU) took the initiative to adapt the full integrated curriculum mostly based on problem-based, team-based learning, and use of virtual patient cases.
“Effective change is only possible through structured approach supported by best evidence practices, faculty development, and alignment with the strategic goals of the medical school”.
Warwick Medical School: A four dimensional curriculum
Paul de Cates, Katherine Owen and Colin Francis Macdougall
A description of the introduction of a curriculum that was fundamentally about horizontal, vertical and spiral integration supported by student led teaching.
“The prime role of UK medical schools is to support the development of a future workforce ready to fulfil the requirements of the UK National Health Service (NHS)”.
Growth of the James Cook University Medical Program: Maintaining quality, continuing the vision, developing postgraduate pathways
Tarun Sen Gupta, Peter Johnson, Roy Rasalam and Richard Hays
A description of how to embrace a social accountability mandate a school must ensure suitable pathways to postgraduate education.
“Vision/mission may evolve over time – should be a considered, deliberate change, not unintentional drift”.
Reforms in VUmc School of Medical Sciences Amsterdam: Student engagement, a Minor elective semester and stakeholder collaboration in improving the quality of assessments
Rashmi A. Kusurkar, Hester E. Daelmans, Anton Horrevoets, Marian de Haan, Margreeth van der Meijde and Gerda Croiset
A description of how the medical school defined a clear and unique profile of its students, which is, “confident, reflective, and competent doctors with empathy and an open mind towards the society/community.
“The educational vision needs to be refreshed regularly in alignment with the changing societal context”.
The EPA-based Utrecht undergraduate clinical curriculum: Development and implementation
Olle ten Cate, Lysanne Graafmans, Indra Posthumus, Lisanne Welink and Marijke van Dijk
This paper describes how the Utrecht undergraduate medical education programme was reformed to incorporate EPAs in the curriculum.
“Creating an EPA framework is an important step, but creating a workplace curriculum with EPAs as part of the program requires more and different effort”.
Twelve tips for applying change models to curriculum design, development and delivery
Judy McKimm and Paul Kneath Jones
These 12 tips provide strategies, models, and frameworks for educators, managers, and administrators to help to design, develop, and deliver curricula and programs more effectively and efficiently.
“The ‘new’ curriculum needs to be locked into a cycle of needs assessment, curriculum design, delivery, review, and evaluation which will result in a curriculum that keeps pace with the evolving needs of all stakeholders”.
Twelve tips for crossborder curriculum partnerships in medical education
Dominique G. J. Waterval, Erik W. Driessen, Albert J. J. A. Scherpbier and Janneke M. Frambach
Gathered from personal experiences these twelve tips provide guidance to those considering or engaged in designing, developing, managing, and reviewing a crossborder curriculum.
“A tip that should be considered as a foundation for all other tips for success is to create open, easily accessible channels of communication”
A tale of two campuses: Lessons learned in establishing a satellite campus
Charles Penner
The author reflects on his experiences and some of the lessons learned over the last four years as Associate Dean at the University of Manitoba, Canada.
“The tale begins with the problem of a lack of physicians to service the rural areas of Manitoba”
Open book exams: A potential solution to the “full curriculum”?
Andrew Teodorczuk, James Fraser and Gary D. Rogers
Is there a place for open book exams in Medical School curricula?
“The time to open up the books and other resources is now and with such a change in assessment philosophy, students might even benefit from deeper and fun new ways of learning”
AND IN THE LETTERS…
How Twitter can move the medical education debate forward
The benefits of trauma simulation for medical students ? experiences from the University of Bristol
Improving bedside teaching feedback: A response to Aylward et al.
MCQ: Misinformed choice of questioning?
The interaction of correctness of and certainty in MCQ responses
Unspoken barriers to change in the medical learning environment
The role of the medical student: To learn or to provide a service?