BUILDING FOR INNOVATION IN MEDICAL CURRICULUM: FORM AND FUNCTION

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Curriculum Development
• Health Sciences

Background:

• The University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUSOM) faced a curriculum misalignment with student and faculty needs in 2014.
• A new Health Education Building (HEB) was funded, presenting an opportunity for simultaneous curriculum and facility innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement an innovative curriculum aligned with modern medical education needs.
• To design a Health Education Building that supports a new, active learning curriculum.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Active, Competency-based, Excellence-driven (ACE) curriculum.
• Integration of active learning strategies: flipped classrooms, case-based collaborative learning, problem-based learning, interprofessional activities, and simulation.
• Design of the HEB with flexible learning studios, small group rooms, and simulation spaces to support the ACE curriculum.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of the ACE curriculum at KUSOM.
• The HEB was constructed and equipped to facilitate the new pedagogical approaches.
• Significant innovation in the form and function of medical education at KUSOM.

Conclusions:

• The integrated approach of a new curriculum and building transformed medical education at KUSOM.
• This initiative provides a transferable paradigm for curricular reform in medical schools.
• The changes have lasting impact on the future of medicine in Kansas.