Leasing a medical curriculum: What's it worth?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Services Research
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Australian medical schools experienced rapid expansion in the early 21st century.
• New institutions often partnered with existing programs for curriculum development.
• Leasing a curriculum from Flinders University was a strategy employed by Griffith, Deakin, and Curtin Universities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the nature and rationale behind curriculum leasing in new Australian medical schools.
• To analyze the outcomes and differential adoption of a leased medical curriculum.
• To understand the influence of context on curriculum implementation in medical education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of curriculum adoption across multiple universities.
• Application of Michael Fullan's theory of educational change to curriculum implementation.
• Examination of the role of local health service negotiations in shaping clinical components.

Main Results:

• The initial two years of the leased curriculum were adopted with minimal changes.
• The final two years, focusing on clinical studies, showed differential development and adaptation.
• Contextual factors, particularly negotiations with local health services, significantly influenced the clinical curriculum.

Conclusions:

• Curriculum leasing provided a rapid pathway for new medical schools to achieve accreditation.
• Adaptation of the clinical components was necessary to align with local health service contexts and institutional missions.
• Understanding educational change in context is crucial for successful curriculum implementation in medical training.