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UME-21 local evaluation initiatives: contributions and challenges
Judy A Shea1, Patrick L Bridge, Bruce E Gould
1Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, PA 19104-6021, USA. Sheaja@mail.med.upenn.edu
Family Medicine
|February 13, 2004
Summary
Medical schools in the Undergraduate Medical Education for the 21st Century (UME-21) initiative developed flexible curricula and evaluation strategies. Common challenges in evaluation methods were identified to guide future curriculum development and assessment.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education Research
- Curriculum Development and Evaluation
- Health Professions Education
Background:
- Eighteen medical schools participated in the Undergraduate Medical Education for the 21st Century (UME-21) initiative, developing innovative curricula.
- Significant variation existed in evaluation approaches across schools, alongside common methodological challenges impacting score reliability and outcome interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore methodological issues and challenges in curriculum evaluation within the UME-21 initiative.
- To identify common evaluation challenges and provide guidance for other institutions.
Main Methods:
- Discussion of four key evaluation areas: instrument development, study design, process evaluation (formative methods), and qualitative strategies.
- Inclusion of specific examples from UME-21 participating schools to illustrate concepts.
Main Results:
- The adopted evaluation strategies allowed flexibility to align with local needs and implement effective evaluation approaches.
- Individualized evaluation strategies, while successful, highlighted shared methodological difficulties.
Conclusions:
- The UME-21 initiative's evaluation requirements fostered both individualized strategies and collaborative efforts among evaluators.
- Identified common methodological challenges serve as a valuable guide for curriculum implementation and evaluation in other medical schools.