Minimal effects of reduced teaching hours on undergraduate medical student learning outcomes and course evaluations

Abstract

Introduction: Various pressures exist for curricular change, including economic forces, burgeoning knowledge, broadening learning outcomes, and improving quality and outcomes of learning experiences. In an Australian 5-year undergraduate medical course, staff were asked to reduce teaching hours by 20% to alleviate perceived overcrowded preclinical curriculum, achieve operating efficiencies and liberate time for students’ self-directed learning.

Methods: A case study design with mixed methods was used to evaluate outcomes.

Results: Teaching hours were reduced by 198 hours (14%) overall, lectures by 153 hours (19%) and other learning activities by 45 hours (7%). Summative assessment scores did not change significantly after the reductions: 0.4% increase, 1.5% decrease and 1.7% increase in Years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The percentage of students successfully completing their academic year did not change significantly: 94.4% before and 93.3% after the reductions. Student evaluations from eVALUate surveys changed little, except workload was perceived to be more reasonable.

Conclusions: Teaching hours, particularly lectures, can be moderately reduced with little impact on student learning outcomes or satisfaction with an undergraduate medical course.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Professor Ben Canny for helpful comments on the manuscript, academic colleagues who contributed to curriculum design, teaching, and assessing in the MBBS course; administrative team members for assistance with timetable and assessment data entry; and the Survey Team from Curriculum & Quality, Academic Division of UTAS, for running the eVALUate surveys and providing summary data as well as anonymous individual responses for this project.

Disclosure statement

Richard Hays is a member of the editorial board of Medical Teacher. Preliminary data from this study were presented as an oral presentation at the APMEC conference: Hays R, Al-Aubaidy H, Cuellar W, Dwyer R, Williams AMM, and Choi-Lundberg DL. 2018. Effects on student results and course evaluations of reduction in teaching hours in an undergraduate medical course. 15th Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC). 10–14 Jan, Singapore.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Derek L. Choi-Lundberg

Derek L. Choi-Lundberg, PhD, Senior Lecturer, teaches gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, and embryology to Y1–Y3 medical students, chairs the Y1 MBBS management committee and coordinates Y1S1 or Y1S2 of the MBBS course. His research interests include medical education, technology-enhanced learning, assessment, and student learning approaches in anatomy.

Hayder A. Al-Aubaidy

Hayder A. Al-Aubaidy, MBChB, PhD, Senior Lecturer, teaches human gross anatomy and neuroanatomy to undergraduate allied health students at La Trobe University. His research interests include medical education as well as measures to improve the outcomes of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

John R. Burgess

John R. Burgess, MBBS, MD, PhD, FRACP, Professor of Endocrinology, was formerly the Director of MBBS Years 1–3 during period when the teaching-hours reduction was planned and implemented.

Christine A. Clifford

Christine A. Clifford, PhD, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, teaches communication skills and mental health to Y1–Y4 medical students. She is associate unit coordinator of Y3 and the Clinical Practice Domain representative on the Y1 MBBS management committee. Her research focusses on medical education, particularly mental health literacy.

William A. Cuellar

William A. Cuellar, BApp Sc (Physiotherapy), Lecturer, teaches anatomy to Y1–Y3 and musculoskeletal clinical skills to Y1 medical students. He coordinates Y1S1 or Y1S2 of the MBBS course. His research interests include medical education, applied anatomy, epidemiology and age-related changes in muscles of the trunk of older adults.

Judi A. Errey

Judi A. Errey, BSc, MBBS, Senior Lecturer, is the clinical coordinator for Y1 and Y2 of the MBBS and teaches clinical aspects of the cardiovascular system. Her research interests include medical education, technology-enhanced learning, and assessment and acquisition of clinical skills in pre-clinical students.

Amanda J. Harper

Amanda J. Harper, PhD, coordinates the Bachelor of Philosophy, a companion degree for gifted and high achieving students at the University of Tasmania, Australia. Her research includes the place of gifted education pedagogy in undergraduate healthcare delivery, particularly focusing on the development of empathy, and Dąbrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration.

Roslyn C. Malley

Roslyn C. Malley, MBBS, PhD, Lecturer and practicing general pathologist, teaches pathology in Years 1–3 of the MBBS course. She has contributed to research projects in medical education, immunology, microbiology, and anatomical and chemical pathology.

Renee M. Ross

Renee M. Ross, PhD, Senior Lecturer, teaches biochemistry and physiology in Years 1–3 of the MBBS and Bachelor of Medical Research (BMedRes), chairs the Year 2 MBBS management committee and is unit coordinator of Y2S1 of the MBBS course. Her research focuses on muscle metabolism, vascular function, and exercise in type 2 diabetes.

Anne-Marie M. Williams

Anne-Marie M. Williams, PhD, Associate Professor, teaches gross anatomy in the second year of the MBBS. She is head of the Division of Paramedicine and has previously held the position of Associate Head Learning and Teaching in the School of Medicine. Her research interests include medical/paramedicine education, technology-enhanced learning, assessment, and student learning approaches in anatomy.

Richard Hays

Richard Hays is Professor of Medical Education at the University of Tasmania. He was the Dean of Medicine at the time of the project reported in this paper, as well as a teacher in the primary care, rural health, and professionalism components of the medical program.