Curriculum reform and evolution: Innovative content and processes at one US medical school

Abstract

Aim: Curriculum reform in medical schools continues to be an ever-present and challenging activity in medical education. This paper describes one school’s experiences with specific curricular innovations that were developed or adapted and targeted to meet a clear set of curricular goals during the curriculum reform process. Those goals included: (a) promoting active learning and learner engagement; (b) establishing early professional identity; and (c) developing physician competencies in an integrated and contextual manner while allowing for individualized learning experiences for the millennial student.

Methods: Six specific innovations championed by the school are described in detail. These included Themes in Medical Education, Translational Pillars, Stony Brook Teaching Families, Transition Courses, Educational Continuous Quality Improvement Processes, and our Career Advising Program. Development of the ideas and design of the innovations were done by faculty and student teams.

Results: We discuss successes and ongoing challenges with these innovations which are currently in the fourth year of implementation.

Conclusions: Our curriculum reform has emphasized the iterative process of curriculum building. Based on our experience, we discuss general and practical guidelines for curriculum innovation in its three phases: setting the stage, implementation, and monitoring for the achievement of intended goals.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank members of the Research Committee of the Miriam and David Donoho Academy of Clinical and Educational Scholars, Linda Cimino, Lisa Strano-Paul, and Stephen Post, who along with the authors provided contributions to early draft materials about several curriculum innovations during the development of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

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

Glossary

Contextual learning: Learning that takes place when students can assign meaning to knowledge by interacting with their learning environment.

https://www.ydae.purdue.edu/lct/HBCU/documents/ContextualLearninginAdultEducation.pdf

Evolution: “A gradual, orderly, and continuous process of change and development from one condition or state to another. It encompasses all aspects of life, including physical, psychological, sociological, cultural, and intellectual development, and involves a progressive advancement from a simple to a more complex form or state through the process of modification, differentiation, and growth.”

Mosby’s Medical Dictionary (2013), 9th Edition. St. Louis, MO; Mosby Elsevier

Innovation: “The intentional introduction and application within a role, group, or organization, of ideas, processes, products or procedures, new to the relevant unit of adoption, designed to significantly benefit the individual, the group, or wider society.”

West, M. A., & Farr, J. L. (1990). Innovation at work. In M. A. West, & J. L. Farr (Eds.), Innovation and creativity at work: Psychological and organizational strategies. Chichester: Wiley

Reform: To make changes to an institution or practice in order to improve upon it.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/reform

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Janet E. Fischel

Janet E. Fischel, PhD, is a Professor of Pediatrics, Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs and Division Chief for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. She is a senior member of the Miriam and David Donoho Academy of Clinical and Educational Scholars, with strong participation in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the LEARN curriculum.

Doreen M. Olvet

Doreen M. Olvet, PhD, is a Research Project and Data Manager in the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs at Stony Brook University. She has expertise in research design and data analysis, and applies her analysis skills to various research and evaluation methods in medical education.

Richard J. Iuli

Richard J. Iuli, PhD, is a Medical Education Specialist in the Office of Academic and Faculty Affairs and Director of the Pathways to Success program at Stony Brook University School of Medicine.

Wei-Hsin Lu

Wei-Hsin Lu, PhD, is Director of Assessment and Evaluation, and Research Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook University. She oversees curriculum evaluation methodologies and data extraction and evaluation in medical education.

Latha Chandran

Latha Chandran, MD, MPH, is the Vice Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs and the Miriam and David Donoho Distinguished Teaching Professor. As the Director of the Donoho Academy, she has extensive experience with a variety of teaching methods and assessment tools. She has been integral to the creation of the newly integrated medical education curriculum.