RESUMEN

Introduction: Outcome-based education (OBE) leads to revolutionary change in medical education, but each medical school is acknowledged to develop suited framework based on specific positioning, educational philosophy and expected outcomes. Methods: Based on the graduate outcomes of basic medical education in China released by Working Committee for the Accreditation of Medical Education (WCAME) which officially recognized by World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), Taizhou University re-documented the overall organization of the curriculum and classified the courses as "Crucial, Supporting and Associated (CSA)" categories to connect the graduate outcomes and course objectives. Results: We redefined the standard for graduates in Taizhou University Medical School including 34 items in four domains and redesigned the curriculum with 76 courses classified as CSA. Empirical data reveals a substantial improvement in students' performance on Standardized Competence Test for Clinical Medicine Undergraduates in China (SCTCMU) by implementing the CSA system between 2022 and 2023. Notably, in 2023, Taizhou University's students achieved pass rates more than 20 percentage points higher than the national average, demonstrating a profound and unprecedented impact. Conclusion: The CSA classification system provides a notably clear and structured framework for categorizing courses based on their direct or indirect relevance to educational objectives, which provides clarity to educators and empowers students with a more purposeful approach to their studies.

RESUMEN

The modern medical education system has gradually evolved starting from 1910 incorporating the suggestions by Abraham Flexner, his public disclosure of the poor conditions at many medical schools provided a means to galvanize all the constituencies needed for reform to occur. He could say what other reformers could not, due to their links to the medical education community. But now we are again going back to a pre-Flexnerian state due to multiple reasons such as gradually diminishing importance of basic science subjects for the students, the decline in the number and quality of investigator initiated research among clinical researchers, lesser emphasis to bedside training by means of detailed clinical examination and making appropriate observation of signs to reach to a diagnosis rather than over reliance on the laboratory tests and radiological modalities for the diagnosis, poor exposure to basic clinical skills starting from college throughout residency and the trend of disrespect and absenteeism from both theoretical and clinical/practical classes. The attitude of students is just to complete their required attendance so that they are not barred from appearing in examinations. This de-Flexnerization trend and regression to pre-Flexnerian era standards, ideologies, structures, processes, and attitudes, are bound to beget pre-Flexnerian outcomes, for you get what you designed for.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Professional competency of graduates of an institute reflects its teaching and learning environment (TLE). This study aimed to provide a preliminary assessment of the TLE at the College of Medicine at Majmaah University. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the 2019-20 academic year among students at the College. A validated scoring tool "the Experience of Teaching and Learning Questionnaire" (available at https://bit.ly/3sVBuEw ) was used. The mean score of each section and statement, the difference between the mean scores of different demographic groups, and correlations between sections were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 234 (72.2%) enrolled students participated in this survey, with a male-to-female ratio and a ratio of participants from basic to clinical years being 2:1 and 1:1, respectively. Most participants reported a GPA of above 3/5. The overall mean score was 3.52/5 points. Section one "approaches to learning and studying" has the highest mean score (3.68), and no section scored a mean below three, though section three "demands made by the course" scored a borderline mean of 3.08. Students in clinical years had a significantly higher overall mean score compared to their counterparts (3.66 vs. 3.39, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Students at the College had a positive perception of the TLE, but face challenges in coping with the demands of acquiring knowledge and subject-based skills, and in appreciating the TLE especially during basic science years, highlighting the need for an atmosphere that allows them to meet demands and develop greater appreciation.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland, restructured the teaching of general pathology, parasitology, and microbiology in third year in 2018 as part of the development of an outcome-based curriculum. A new integrated teaching module was created, called Veterinary Pathobiology, which encompassed the three paraclinical subjects, worth 20 ECTS credits. Subject integration was driven and supported by case-based learning (CBL) activities, and practical classes, which were aimed at facilitating the understanding of basic disease processes, infectious agents, and the application of diagnostic tests. The disciplines maintained their identities within lectures which were aligned by content. The restructuring led to a reduction of contact hours by 20% and of assessment time by 40%. The examinations included integrated questions with an emphasis on the material students had covered in their CBL. Despite positive outcomes, which included equivalent examination scores and positive written feedback by students on teaching and learning, understanding, assessment, relevance, CBL, group work, and generic skills, the average scores for overall student satisfaction dropped dramatically in the second academic year of implementation. This followed the introduction of new regulations by the University relating to student progression, which was capped at "carrying" 10 ECTS credits, thus preventing students that failed the new module from progressing. Other criticisms of the new module by students included too little communication on the changes implemented in its first iteration and a workload perceived to be too heavy. Further restructuring is therefore necessary. This study highlights the process/pitfalls of integration/curricular innovation.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction: The use of simulation-based education in undergraduate medical education has many advantages. Purposeful planning of the sequence of simulation sessions within the curriculum is necessary for complex simulation exercises. This requires pre-session completion of prerequisite knowledge. Methods: Two surveys were conducted. An electronic survey was sent to faculty involved in simulation at UAE medical schools (n=29). The faculty survey addressed the simulation sessions planning process, sequencing of simulation topics, and institutional simulation team structure. The second survey was administered via paper to final year medical students from Dubai Medical College (DMC) who received simulation sessions (n=22). The survey addressed completion of prerequisite knowledge, receipt of the session objectives, and psychological safety and overall session ratings. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively. Responses to open ended questions were analyzed thematically. Results: The faculty response rate was (21/29: 72.4%). Only (7/21: 33.3%) faculty members indicated there was prior planning to ensure proper sequencing within the curriculum. Only (3/21: 14.2%) indicated that simulation topics were chosen based on curriculum gaps. A small percentage (3/21: 14.2%) reported working with other faculty and an instructional designer. Qualitative themes included barriers to planning, structural considerations, and factors for successful simulation integration. The student response rate was 100%. Only (4/22:18.2%) of students completed the required pre-session prerequisite knowledge. Most students (18/22: 81.8%) received the session objectives prior to the simulation session. Qualitative themes included lack of completion of pre-requisite knowledge prior to the session, absence of learning objectives, and technical issues. Conclusion: This study highlights the gap in adequate sequencing of complex simulation scenarios within the curriculum. This is mainly due to the lack of completion of the required prerequisite knowledge prior to the session. Such complex integration requires adequate planning and collaboration of the simulation team with key stakeholders including faculty, the curriculum committee, and instructional designers.

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to analyze the course outcomes of integrated courses of a medical school that introduced an outcome-based curriculum and to suggest ways to improve techniques in the description of outcomes. METHODS: In order to investigate the course outcomes of 39 courses in the first and second grades at Kyungpook National University School of Medicine in Korea, verbs for the course outcome were classified according to Bloom's taxonomy and frequency analysis was completed. The appropriateness of use of verbs in description of the outcomes was also analyzed. RESULTS: The total number of course outcomes for both grades was 497. The number of course outcomes per credit ranged from a minimum of 0.9 to a maximum of 22.0. Most of the course outcomes were classified as the comprehension domain according to Bloom's taxonomy. The most frequently used verb was "explain," accounting for 61.0% (n=303) of the entire course outcome verbs. Some verbs in the outcomes, however, were unmeasurable. CONCLUSION: The major findings of this study include the followings. First, the number of course outcomes varied according to courses. Second, several course outcomes included unmeasurable verbs. Finally, most of the verbs used to describe course outcome belonged to the two lower levels of Bloom's taxonomy-knowledge and comprehension. In order to improve the description of course outcomes, this study suggests that it is necessary to adjust the number of course outcomes, applicate overt behavior verbs, and elevate the level of course outcomes from the lower memorizing level to the higher application level.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: This study was designed to allow a student at School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University (KNUSOM) to self-assess how well they had achieved competency and to analyze the differences and trends of the scores by year. Furthermore, students are asked to evaluate the need for curriculum improvement by competency, the tendency of the score is analyzed by year, and the results are reflected in the improvement of the curriculum. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey for fourth-year students of KNUSOM who took medical education classes from 2015 to 2018. Questionnaire items were evaluated on the basis of their current achievement of 30 subordinate competencies of competency and the degree of necessity with respect to revising the curriculum. One-way analysis of variance was performed for the yearly difference analysis. RESULTS: The students' scores on the graduation competency were 2.03 to 4.06. In the yearly difference analysis, there was no significant difference in the average of 30 total competencies, but 16 of the sub-competencies showed significant year-to-year differences. The scores for the 30 graduation competencies were different for each year, but the competencies showing high scores and low scores were found to be similar each year. CONCLUSION: We found that the achievement level of the students was approximately 60% to 70%. We were able to confirm the contents of the education that the students continuously demand. The curriculum trend graphs for each year showed that the students' scores improved when the curriculum was being revised. We found that it is necessary to accept the students' self-evaluation reliable as the students indicated that the contents of the curriculum should be added to the areas where the contents were lacking in the present curriculum.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: This study was designed to allow a student at School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University (KNUSOM) to self-assess how well they had achieved competency and to analyze the differences and trends of the scores by year. Furthermore, students are asked to evaluate the need for curriculum improvement by competency, the tendency of the score is analyzed by year, and the results are reflected in the improvement of the curriculum. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey for fourth-year students of KNUSOM who took medical education classes from 2015 to 2018. Questionnaire items were evaluated on the basis of their current achievement of 30 subordinate competencies of competency and the degree of necessity with respect to revising the curriculum. One-way analysis of variance was performed for the yearly difference analysis. RESULTS: The students' scores on the graduation competency were 2.03 to 4.06. In the yearly difference analysis, there was no significant difference in the average of 30 total competencies, but 16 of the sub-competencies showed significant year-to-year differences. The scores for the 30 graduation competencies were different for each year, but the competencies showing high scores and low scores were found to be similar each year. CONCLUSION: We found that the achievement level of the students was approximately 60% to 70%. We were able to confirm the contents of the education that the students continuously demand. The curriculum trend graphs for each year showed that the students' scores improved when the curriculum was being revised. We found that it is necessary to accept the students' self-evaluation reliable as the students indicated that the contents of the curriculum should be added to the areas where the contents were lacking in the present curriculum.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to analyze the course outcomes of integrated courses of a medical school that introduced an outcome-based curriculum and to suggest ways to improve techniques in the description of outcomes. METHODS: In order to investigate the course outcomes of 39 courses in the first and second grades at Kyungpook National University School of Medicine in Korea, verbs for the course outcome were classified according to Bloom’s taxonomy and frequency analysis was completed. The appropriateness of use of verbs in description of the outcomes was also analyzed. RESULTS: The total number of course outcomes for both grades was 497. The number of course outcomes per credit ranged from a minimum of 0.9 to a maximum of 22.0. Most of the course outcomes were classified as the comprehension domain according to Bloom’s taxonomy. The most frequently used verb was “explain,” accounting for 61.0% (n=303) of the entire course outcome verbs. Some verbs in the outcomes, however, were unmeasurable. CONCLUSION: The major findings of this study include the followings. First, the number of course outcomes varied according to courses. Second, several course outcomes included unmeasurable verbs. Finally, most of the verbs used to describe course outcome belonged to the two lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy—knowledge and comprehension. In order to improve the description of course outcomes, this study suggests that it is necessary to adjust the number of course outcomes, applicate overt behavior verbs, and elevate the level of course outcomes from the lower memorizing level to the higher application level.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Feedback has been identified as one of the key strategies for learning in the outcome-based curriculum. Students are more interested in their grades paying little attention to the feedback, may not understand the importance of feedback and its effect on their performance because of their perception, and beliefs. Non-constructive feedback will not result in the improvement of the students' performance. This study aims to explore; student's perception of useful feedback; the purpose of feedback and believes about written feedback. METHODS: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2017 to January 2018 at Majmaah University. Students studying in clinical phase were recruited. Data were collected from 121 students by self-structured questionnaire using complete enumeration sampling method. RESULTS: Majority of the students (45.5%) disagreed that the feedback should always contain marks; (49.6%) commented that the tutor did not provide enough constructive feedback. While we ask the purpose of feedback (62.8%), agree with two-way nature of feedback, and it is helpful to find there expected performance. Almost two third (67.8%) of the students believe that limited feedback is the reason for frustration and they did not receive comments for improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Students are aware of the purpose of feedback. Senior students give more value to feedback and in the opinion that feedback provides useful suggestions for future improvement and limited feedback is the reason for frustration. The results highlight the need for more structured feedback mechanism, and there is a need for faculty engagement in training to fill the existing gapes to create an effective educational alliance.