A novel virtual course to teach medical students high-value decision-making

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Economics
• Clinical Decision-Making

Background:

• Undergraduate medical education often lacks formal training in high-value, cost-conscious care.
• Clinician decision-making is significantly influenced by training in resource stewardship.
• A curriculum gap exists in preparing future physicians for efficient healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, cross-institutional curriculum for teaching high-value care to medical students.
• To provide a scalable framework for other institutions to implement similar educational programs.
• To enhance medical students' understanding and application of cost-conscious clinical practices.

Main Methods:

• A 2-week online course was developed through collaboration between the University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
• The curriculum included online modules, case studies, journal clubs, and a capstone 'Shark Tank' project.
• A scoring rubric based on the New World Kirkpatrick Model evaluated students' ability to apply concepts in clinical contexts.

Main Results:

• Over two-thirds of students rated the course as excellent or very good, with high utility reported for online modules, readings, and the competition.
• Finalist groups, more likely to be fourth-year students, achieved higher scores (p=0.03).
• Student proposals demonstrated better incorporation of cost impact (p=0.001) and discussion of patient safety (p=0.04).

Conclusions:

• The developed online curriculum serves as an effective framework for teaching high-value care in medical schools.
• Cross-institutional collaboration and online delivery overcome barriers like faculty expertise and logistical challenges.
• Prior clinical experience may enhance medical students' application of high-value care principles.