September 17, 2003  Jordan 1-14.

Present:   Eve Bargmann, Robert Bloodgood, Bruce Cohen, Carl Creutz, Claudette Dalton, John Gazewood, Wendy Golden,  Steven Heim (Viktor Bovbjerg), Barry Hinton,  William Hobbs,  Joel Hockensmith , Donald Innes (Chair), Robert Kadner, Howard Kutchai (Brian Duling),  Kevin Lee,  Darci Lieb,  Heidi Scrable, Virginia Taylor,  Julie Turner, Brian Wispelwey,  Clive Bradbeer, Allison Innes,  Jennifer McClune, Richard Pearson, Jerry Short, Karen Grandage, Susan Squillace,  Dean Kedes, William Wilson, Marcia Childress, Chistopher Gisler (Garrett Griffin), Sarah Bass. Dave Ryan,  Debra Reed (Secretary)

1.       A proposal for modernizing curriculum – “Advancing the Curriculum” was presented.

“ Throughout the century, the high quality of American medical education depended far less on the formal curriculum than it did on attracting motivated, capable students and providing them unfettered opportunities to learn.

Essential to this learning environment were good laboratories and libraries, an ample and diverse supply of patients, and stimulating teachers and colleagues. 

Most important of all was the fact that medical education was conducted in settings where learners were provided sufficient time with patients so that patients could be studied and understood.”

 - Ludmerer: A Time to Heal

Goals:

• Create an environment focused on learning – especially active learning
• Increase clinical experience - early and progressive student-patient contact
• Incorporate contemporary cultural, scientific, social and professional developments
• Teach and apply medical problem solving and management of medical information
• Increase the efficiency of learning
• Communicate the excitement and future of medicine

Steps toward Goals

Principles of Medicine

• Introduce the theme “Cells to Society” in the first week of medical school in which the focus is on patients and connects to all aspects of the Foundations of Medicine from molecular to cultural and global health issues.
• Begin Foundations of Medicine with Genomic & Molecular Biology and Human Behavior.

Foundations of Medicine structure:

Molecular Biology
Human Behavior
Practice of Medicine-1
Anatomy
Cell & Tissue Structure/Physiology
Neuroscience
Microbiology - immunology
Pathology - general

• Create a program for Medical Decisions and Critical Thinking
• Create Exploratories
• Organize pathology, pathophysiology and pharmacology into an Integrative Core Medical Systems incorporating elements of anatomy, embryology, histology, physiology, neuroscience, and human behavior.
  
  Infectious disease - Microbiology - bacteriology; virology
  Pulmonary - Allergy
  Cardiovascular
  Renal
  Gastrointestinal
  Hematology - Oncology
  Endocrine – Reproductive
  Musculoskeletal - Rheumatology
  Neurology
  Psychiatric Medicine
  Pediatrics/Geriatrics
  Dermatology/Ophthalmology/ENT
• Create an introductory/review program - Major Diseases of Our Time
• End mid-March allowing time for USMLE-1, vacation and

Clinical Care Experiences

• Start Clerkships May 1
• Return Neurology to the clerkship environment
• Basic Science for Careers course where basic sciences and clinical skills are specifically applied to residency and career choices
• Renew the clerkships, selectives and electives
• ACE – Advanced Clinical Elective
• Career Practice Enhancement (4th yr) - social, economic and political aspects of medical practice
• Consistent education in radiology, emergency medicine, geriatrics & palliative care and preventive care

General Enhancements

• Joint degree and program access
• Incorporate simulation technology to prepare for and augment patient encounters and to increase the safety and efficiency of learning
• Encourage student research
• Use simulation technology to prepare for and augment patient encounters and to increase the safety and efficiency of learning
• Provide an educational environment to support personal and professional development for students and faculty

Principles of Medicine - timeline proposals

July 2003 - Joint degree and program access
July 2004 - Incorporation of simulation technology
July 2004 - Begin realignment of the clerkships, selectives and electives
August 25-27, 2004 - “Cells to Society”
August 2004 - Realign Principles of Medicine courses to an introductory Foundations of Medicine and Core Systems
August 2004 - Human Behavior and Genomic & Molecular Biology
August 2004 - Medical Decisions and Critical Thinking
January 2005 - Exploratory program
March 2005 - Career Practice Enhancement
May 2008/9 - Basic Science for Careers

Design & Development Teams

• Basic Science for Careers - Vern Juel and [Reid Adams], Carl Creutz, Brian Wispelwey, Jerry Short, Maria Meussling
• Career Practice Enhancement - Ruth Gaare and Tom Massaro, Tim Garson, Carolyn Engelhard, Anita Clayton
• Cells to Society - Chris Peterson and Gene Corbett
• Foundations of Medicine & Core Systems – Eve Bargmann and Bob Bloodgood, Ryan Zacklin
• Exploratory - David Cattell-Gordon and John Gazewood, Howard Kutchai
• Medical Decisions & Critical Thinking – Linda Watson
• The Contemporary Clerkship/Elective/Selective – Bill Wilson and Meg Keeley

Discussion of the proposed changes followed.  Design and development teams will research the feasibility of the time lines and develop the programs.  Members of the Principles of Medicine Committee will be contacted by the Design and Development Teams for input.   

Comments from members of the Committee included:

Metrics for assessment of the proposals and confirming the effectiveness of the changes should be in place.  Evaluation data such as student surveys and board scores will be closely monitored.

Goal is for each course director to “think outside the walls of their own course,” developing a cohesive curriculum.

Organization of the proposals must be precisely defined and clearly outlined to both faculty and students.

The School of Medicine is committed to giving students the “best education” possible. 

2.    The Principles of Medicine Committee will have new Co-Chairs, Robert Bloodgood and John Gazewood.  This change will take effect at the next meeting 10/1/03 – 2:00 p.m. in Jordan 1-17.

Donald Innes
-dmr