University of Virginia School of
Medicine
Curriculum Committee
Minutes 09.23.99
Pediatric Pathology Conference Room,4:00 p.m.
Present (underlined) were: Reid Adams, Bob Bloodgood,
Anita Clayton, Al Connors, Gene Corbett, Joanna
Goldberg, Donald Innes (Chair), Steven Meixel,
Jerry Short, Bill Wilson, Munsey Wheby, Robb Williams,
Debra Reed (Secretary)
- Joanna Goldberg, Ph.D. from Microbiology, was welcomed as a new
member of the Curriculum Committee.
- Don Innes presented an overview of his remarks to the faculty at
the 9/22/99 General Faculty Meeting. The talk and slides will be
incorporated into the Curriculum WEB site.
- The Curriculum Committee WEB site is now under construction and
should be activated by 9/28/99. Initially, faculty and students will be
able to contact members of the Curriculum Committee via e-mail from WEB
site hot links, however a Curriculum Newsgroup, similar to the Medical
Student newsgroups is planned.
- Curriculum Management was the main topic for discussion. The
Curriculum Committee needs a mechanism for developing and approving
educational proposals. The Committee must work with members of the
Principles of Medicine and Practice of Medicine Committees to oversee
and ensure horizontal and vertical integration of the curriculum. We
need to first have a clear idea of our expectations of the curriculum
and how it is to work; then incrementally work towards that ideal
curriculum.
A considerable amount of evaluation information is gathered at the
present time: USMLE scores, licensure testing data, course evaluations,
student evaluations "Looking Back", residency selection information.
The CC should review the data, define areas that need improvement, make
recommendations, and evaluate the outcome. Futures sources of
additional information might include a yearly self-assessment of each
course, addressing strengths and weaknesses and developing proposals
for building on strengths and improving weak areas. Proposed changes
would be reviewed by the CC for adherence to the vision, goals and
objectives of the UVA School of Medicine. A regular review (inside and
outside reviewers) would ensure ongoing discussion of medical education
and provide a mechanism to recognize and react to change. This must
become an institutionalized and adaptive process.
 - The CC should provide course directors guidelines and then the
course directors would translate these guidelines into working plans,
and then with the approval of the CC put these plans into effect. The
CC will provide direction and take an active role when basic structural
changes are necessary, especially when these changes cut across current
course domains. This process depends on mutual respect and partnership
by all parties.
- The above process means a more active role for the Principles of
Medicine (former Preclinical) and the Clinical Medicine (former
Clerkship) Committees and therefore will necessitate monthly meetings
in Sept., Oct., Nov., Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, and June. Joint
meetings will be held as needed.
- It was suggested that the basic science courses have co-directors,
one of whom is a physician. A model for this might be the Neuroscience
course, which now has a Director and a Clinical Director.
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