The importance of design thinking in medical education

Abstract

Design thinking provides a creative and innovate approach to solve a complex problem. The discover, define, develop and delivery phases of design thinking lead to the most effective solution and this approach can be widely applied in medical education, from technology intervention projects to curriculum development. Participants in design thinking acquire essential transferable life-long learning skills in dealing with uncertainty and collaborative team working.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Basil Badwan

Basil Badwan is a fifth year medical student at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan.

Roshit Bothara

Roshit Bothara is a fourth year medical student at University of Otago, New Zealand.

Mieke Latijnhouwers

Mieke Latijnhouwers, PhD, is Assessment Development Advisor at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, the Netherlands.

Alisdair Smithies

Alisdair Smithies, BSc, MEd, PhD, is TEL Innovation Officer in the Leeds Institute of Medical Education, United Kingdom

John Sandars

John Sandars, MBChB, MSc, MD, MRCP, MRCGP, FAcadMEd, CertEd, is Professor of Medical Education at Edge Hill University, United Kingdom.