From vision to implementation: Building a national undergraduate paediatric curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Paediatrics
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Medical students face challenges in learning paediatrics due to fragmented curricula and unclear expectations.
• Paediatric educators require Canadian-specific guidance and resources for teaching and assessment in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive, competency-based undergraduate paediatric curriculum for Canadian medical schools.
• To create a usable resource for both medical students and educators, addressing identified curricular gaps.

Main Methods:

• A multi-faceted approach including best practices in curriculum development, environmental scans, and Delphi surveys.
• Involvement of Canadian paediatric undergraduate educator leaders and stakeholders through surveys and meetings.
• Quality improvement initiatives integrated throughout the development process.

Main Results:

• The curriculum, canuc-paeds, is based on the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) CanMEDS Framework.
• It includes 29 clinical presentations with objectives, foundational knowledge, and resources, plus essential paediatric skills.
• The curriculum has been implemented in Canadian medical schools and online resources are used globally.

Conclusions:

• The canuc-paeds curriculum offers essential, Canadian-specific guidance and resources for paediatric education.
• It aims to improve the learning experience for medical students and the teaching effectiveness of paediatricians and family physicians.