Advanced Integrated Science Courses: Building a Skill Set to Engage With the Interface of Research and Medicine

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Translational Science
• Lifelong Learning

Background:

• Medical practice evolves rapidly due to scientific research.
• Physicians need continuous learning skills to integrate new science into clinical care.
• Current medical curricula face challenges with reduced basic science time and expanding fields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an innovative curriculum at Harvard Medical School.
• To introduce Advanced Integrated Science Courses (AISCs) designed to equip students with critical evaluation skills for emerging research.
• To address the challenge of preparing medical students for an era of rapid scientific change.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of Advanced Integrated Science Courses (AISCs) after core clerkships.
• Students are required to complete two AISCs from diverse topics.
• Course objectives focus on generalizable skills for evaluating research, not just factual content.

Main Results:

• Students reported high satisfaction with the AISCs.
• Students effectively learned the intended skill set for critical research evaluation.
• The AISC model allows for diverse scientific topics and faculty interests.

Conclusions:

• The AISC model effectively prepares medical students for ongoing scientific change.
• Focusing on generalizable skills enhances student engagement and career relevance.
• The AISC concept is adaptable for implementation in other medical schools.