COM Annual Faculty Education Retreat( cont.)
Citing L. Dee Fink’ s Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses as an opening gambit, he was spot-on describing questions familiar to those in attendance. He challenged the group in stating where does Basic Science fit in the curriculum? What is the value of adaptive expertise? He also utilized familiar analogies, such as how we learn to ride a bicycle. The two foundations in the bicycle example were the person’ s ability to apply prior knowledge and the inspiration to ask the proper questions.
Fundamental to a student learner is learning facilitation, mentoring, and the ability to receive feedback to move forward. He cited the importance of receiving basic knowledge to understand how everything fits together. A good course consists of challenges to students, active forms of learning, and interaction with teachers who care. The invention of the smart phone in 1994 was an educational disruptor and he wondered aloud what might be the next future disruptor of similar magnitude? Consistent with the value of virtual reality and 3-D projections in anatomy labs, he noted that tools that are developed and deployed must be acknowledged as effective by the students themselves. In his assessment of learning strategies, peer evaluation is incredibly important to the paradigm of group learning. In his opinion, the curriculum cannot be a distraction. A tool is only as good as how it was intended to be used.
Following Dr. Wisco’ s presentation, attendees were sent to virtual breakout rooms where they discussed various elements of the DAC through a collective Q & A process. Below is a brief sampling of the deliberations.
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How can Drew best innovate to establish preeminence in addressing health equity and social justice in its curriculum?
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Need to dive into means and tools with which we address the Social Determinants of Health topics listed in the LCME. Offer a curriculum discussing law in medicine and medical ethics. We need a common core ethics and social justice course to establish common vocabulary and concepts.
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Given its long-established mission to the underserved, how can the medical school ensure that overall scientific excellence remains an unconditional outcome of the educational program?
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Community faculty should be engaged, teach students, and serve as mentors in community settings. Constantly survey what other medical schools are doing. Adopt innovations that align with the CDU mission.
What are the best ways to integrate educational technologies and resources within the curriculum? What are the opportunities for interdisciplinary curricula to enhance educational outcomes and efficiencies across Drew’ s health profession programs?
• As medical practice increasingly calls for interdisciplinary teamwork, training of all professionals should incorporate early interaction and understanding of respective team member roles.
• We need to be more interprofessional and learning together; know what each component is doing and how we can step in when there are large population health issues.
• Simulation programs cross all lines that involve PA, nursing, and medical students.
In what ways can the curriculum best address use of digital health and telehealth technologies to optimize both outcomes and economic efficiencies?
• Learn from the outcomes of the pandemic since we have lately been using telemedicine more. What pockets of population have we been able to reach more than others?
• Not all communities are able to have access; we must be sensitive in our approach, e. g., the Digital Divide.
• Train students well; teach them to listen and observe the video. Learn how to structure questions that will help to get a differential diagnosis and good information about the symptoms.
Provost Steve Michael closed out the day with thanks to Dean Prothrow-Stith, Dr. Wisco, and the participants. His primary message emphasized the human quality of the accreditation process. Be mindful that we are training a different type of leader, an activist that incorporates the CDU Advantage into their professional practice. He emphasized the value of being reflective as we develop this unique curricular experience.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 16