WHAT ARE THE PRACTICALITIES OF MAPPING MINOR CURRICULUM?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Curriculum Development
• Quality Assurance in Higher Education

Background:

• Undergraduate medical colleges in Pakistan are engaged in curriculum mapping.
• This study investigates the process in three medical schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).
• Senior faculty members were interviewed to understand their perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the principles and processes of curriculum mapping in Pakistani medical schools.
• To identify the challenges and benefits associated with curriculum mapping.
• To understand the current state of curriculum mapping for Human Nutrition.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior faculty curriculum managers.
• The study focused on three medical schools in the KPK province of Pakistan.
• Issues related to mapping minor curriculum themes were explored.

Main Results:

• Fixed curricular criteria from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) reduced the perceived need for mapping.
• Learning outcomes were not consistently recognized or described.
• A lack of consensus existed among stakeholders regarding curriculum mapping principles and processes.
• Resource limitations and public pressure presented barriers to change.

Conclusions:

• Limited awareness of curriculum mapping's significance for quality assurance, evaluation, and management hinders its adoption.
• Further research is necessary to assess current practices and difficulties across Pakistani medical colleges.
• A collaborative strategy is needed to improve curriculum mapping and enhance educational quality.