University of Virginia School of Medicine
Curriculum Committee
Minutes 12.11.03

Surgery Conference Room, 4:00 p.m.                       

Present (underlined) were: Reid Adams, Eve Bargmann,  Robert Bloodgood,  Anita Clayton,  Gene Corbett, Carl Creutz,  Donald Innes (Chair),  Vern Juel, Howard Kutchai, Chris Peterson, Jerry Short, Linda Watson,  Bill Wilson, Brian Wispelwey, John Bell,  Sarah Jones, Maria Meussling, David Shonka, Guest:  Richard Pearson,  Debra Reed (secretary)

1. Announcement.  The Dean’s Office has announced that the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation of Fairfax has made a $12.5 million challenge gift to the University of Virginia School of Medicine for a state-of-the-art medical education building.   The University will need to raise the other half of the cost for the $25 million facility.
   
   
2. Discussion about the curriculum  (Senior Associate Dean Richard Pearson/Howard Kutchai) Dean Pearson noted by anecdotal observation that students seem more stressed in the second year now than in previous years and less stressed in the first year. There is no analytic data at the present time to confirm, although the current study of the P/F grading system should provide an analytic measure. Moving some sections of the second year curriculum into the first is planned, as part of the curriculum renewal program.  
   
   Students, Maria Meussling and John Bell, noted that part of the problem is the many sporadically placed small group activities in the afternoons/evenings (Psych, PoM2) fragment the student’s time and that second year notes are voluminous and neither concise nor comprehensive.
   
   The Committee discussed whether some second year activities such as the pelvic examination,  male genital examination, and psych observations might be better taught in a workshop setting during the third year as part of GYN, Medicine, Family Medicine or Psychiatric Medicine clerkships.  Skills such as these need follow-up practice for the student to become competent and the current second year introduction may be too early.  The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to patient contact for the medical students from early first year on but some activities may need to be re-evaluated for appropriateness.   These changes would provide more consistent blocks of afternoon/evening study time. 
   
   Dr. Kutchai raised the question - “Can we require a rigorous clinical experience (ie ACE or AI) after the match?”   It was explained that the time period after match day is about 6 weeks – many students are planning moves and/or taking a needed break before their residencies start in mid to late June so such a requirement would be a hardship and arranging ~140 ACEs or AIs in a 6 week period would be logistically impossible.
   
   
3. LCME Database Website:  http://www.lcme.org/database.htm
   Committee members were asked to review the list of questions similar to those we will be asked at our 2006 LCME review.  The database can act as a guide as we examine our curriculum. Course and clerkship directors should read these closely; consider the implications for their course.
   
   
4. Summary of Objectives, Responsibility and Timeline. A copy of the recommendations made by the Curriculum Committee after the clerkship review in January, 2003, was distributed.  The Clerkship directors will be reminded of these goals and objectives and a progress report requested.
   
   

As of today progress on Web sites for Clerkships:

* Medicine - no activity and no site
* AIM - Has a minimal site now; working on a major expansion
* Family medicine - Extensive site, largest of all the clerkships
* Neurology - completed last spring. Updating with each rotation.
* Surgery - Site delegated to a senior resident. Initial information went up, but stalled on the remainder. Not online currently.
* OB/GYN – New site; online
* Psych - Most of their information to me, then stalled on away sites. Not online currently.
* Peds - New site as of Sept.
* Clinical Correlations - site set up last year and continues to be updated.

5. Replacement for Clive Bradbeer (Electives Co-director for Research).  Dr. Bradbeer will be retiring soon. Dr. Bradbeer spends about two weeks of his time per year reviewing proposals for research electives and evaluating the final report (approximately 1-2 hours per week). Please send nominations for this position to Don Innes. The Academy of Distinguished Educators will also be polled for suggestions.

6.  Retreat.  A Curriculum Committee mini-retreat is being planned for the latter part of January/early February. A Friday afternoon or Saturday morning time slot was discussed.

Donald Innes/dmr