Application of Kern's Six-step approach to curriculum development by global health residents

Global health practitioners have a responsibility to deliver appropriate and effective health education to patients and families. We demonstrate how residents in a global health elective can utilize Kern's six-step approach to develop educational products for patients and their families.

Residents completed a pre-curricular survey of knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding curriculum development. Kern's six-steps were introduced through a series of lectures; workshop exercises highlighted the application of each step: (i) Problem identification and general needs assessment, (ii) targeted needs assessment, (iii) goals and objectives, (iv) educational strategies, (v) implementation and (vi) evaluation and feedback. Residents used the six-steps to develop health education projects they subsequently implemented locally and abroad. Reflective exercises were conducted after utilization of each of the six steps. Residents also completed a post-curricular assessment of knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding curriculum development.

Mean scores on pre- and post-curricular self-assessment of knowledge were 18 and 26.5 (out of 28); skills 19.8 and 33.5 (out of 35); and attitudes 13.3 and 19.8 (out of 21), respectively. Reflective exercises highlighted resident sentiment that the six steps enabled them to be more thoughtful of the interventions they were undertaking in communities locally and abroad. They were impressed how the model allowed them to ensure their goals were aligned with those of patients and their families, fully engage their audience and effectively implement the curricula.

Kern's six-step approach to curriculum development is an effective method for global health residents to develop educational products for patients and families.