Expanding the scope of problem-based-learning at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine; integrating domain-general skills with domain-specific content

Abstract

The Master Adaptive Learner is a model used to develop students to become self-regulated and adaptable lifelong learners to practice medicine in a complex and ever-changing environment. The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM) proposes a new course, Patient Presentation Problem-Based Learning Curriculum (PPPC), a dynamic and integrated course that goes beyond the scope of traditional Problem-Based-Learning (PBL). PPPC allows students to build domain-general skills in tandem with domain-specific content learned during a pre-clerkship curriculum. An integrated case provides weekly scaffolding, such that the course takes place throughout the week and is not isolated from the rest of the curriculum. Students receive iterative feedback and structured assignments which allows development of self-directed learning skills along with integration and consolidation of weekly curricular content. A layered analysis approach was used to outline the philosophies, principles and techniques that link to our course objectives. Techniques used could easily be translated to other pre-clerkship curriculum to promote development of self-directed learning and clinical reasoning skills, as well as promote more meaningful learning of basic, clinical, and health system science content.

Keywords:

• Problem-based learning
• integration
• feedback
• self-directed learning (SDL)
• medical education

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Tovah Tripp

Tovah Tripp is the Director of Patient Presentation Problem-Based-Learning Curriculum at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, NJ.

Ofelia Martinez

Ofelia Martinez is the Assistant Dean for Medical Education at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, NJ.

Margaret Dreker

Margaret Dreker is the Health Sciences Librarian at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and Seton Hall University, Nutley, NJ.

Christopher Duffy

Christopher Duffy is the Associate Dean of the Interprofessional Health Sciences Library, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and Seton Hall University, Nutley, New Jersey. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5485-8625.

Miriam Hoffman

Miriam Hoffman is the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, NJ.