Student curriculum review team, 8 years later: Where we stand and opportunities for growth

Abstract

Background

The Student Curriculum Review Team (SCRT) was founded at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM) in 2012 to refine pre-clinical courses. Since then, SCRT has provided a voice for student feedback – offering forums for discussion through ‘Town Hall meetings’ and confidential avenues for peer-to-peer comments. Here, we assess the perceived efficacy and utility of SCRT among the student body and faculty course directors.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 2019 using an anonymous survey distributed to second- (MS2) and third-year (MS3) medical students as well as faculty course directors at JHUSOM.

Results

A total of 113 student surveys and 13 faculty surveys were returned. The majority of students (97%) endorsed SCRT as effective in enabling them to express their concerns. Most faculty (69%) reported SCRT’s impact on their respective course as positive and found SCRT suggestions to be ‘realistic and actionable.’ Students (84%) and faculty (62%) alike considered SCRT to meet needs not met by other curricular organizations at JHUSOM.

Conclusion

Students and faculty find that SCRT satisfies an unfilled position in the landscape of curricular feedback at JHUSOM. This study may be beneficial for other academic institutions considering ways to better engage students in curricular reform.

Keywords:

• Medical education research
• collaborative/peer-to-peer
• feedback
• education environment
• evaluation

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank course directors at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, past members of the SCRT team, the Office of Curriculum, and the Office of Academic Computing for their commitment to fostering and supporting student feedback.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Priyanka Kumar

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Christina M. Pickering

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Lyla Atta

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Austin G. Burns

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Robert F. Chu

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Thomas Gracie

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Caroline X. Qin

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Katherine A. Whang

All authors, except Harry Goldberg, are third- and fourth-year medical students at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Harry R. Goldberg

Harry R. Goldberg, PhD, is the Faculty Sponsor of SCRT and an Assistant Dean at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.