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No content without context: integrating basic, clinical, and social sciences in a pre-clerkship curriculum
LuAnn Wilkerson1, Carl M Stevens, Sally Krasne
1David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. lwilkerson@mednet.ucla.edu
Medical Teacher
|October 9, 2009
Summary
Integrating basic and clinical sciences in medical education improves learning. The Human Biology and Disease curriculum at UCLA demonstrates an effective, interdisciplinary approach for foundational medical training.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Curriculum Development
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Effective medical education requires integrating basic science with clinical application.
- Learning context significantly impacts students' recall and application of knowledge.
- Pre-clerkship experiences are crucial for developing nuanced clinical decision-making skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illustrate the integration of traditional biomedical and clinical sciences in a foundational medical curriculum.
- To showcase a comprehensive curriculum design based on cognitive psychology and educational principles.
- To present the Human Biology and Disease (HB&D) curriculum at UCLA as a model.
Main Methods:
- Collaborative design involving faculty and students in planning teams.
- Involvement of educational consultants and ongoing oversight structures.
- Faculty development initiatives to support curriculum implementation.
Main Results:
- Implementation of an interdisciplinary, spiral block structure for the curriculum.
- Inclusion of interactive lectures, integrative examinations, and self- and peer-taught laboratories.
- Utilization of problem-based learning with innovative pedagogical approaches.
Conclusions:
- The integrated, spiral curriculum has shown promising results in pre-clerkship medical education.
- The HB&D curriculum offers innovations adaptable for other institutions.
- Longitudinal threads and repeating interdisciplinary blocks enhance learning outcomes.
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