Design thinking in medical education to tackle real world healthcare problems: The MasterMinds Challenge

Medical education must equip future professionals with the necessary skills to navigate the complex healthcare landscape. Clinical knowledge is essential, and critical and creative thinking skills are vital to meet the challenges of the system. Design thinking offers a structured approach that integrates creativity and innovation, yet its application in medical education is absent.

The compulsory MasterMinds Challenge course at Leiden University Medical Center utilizes design thinking principles to address real world healthcare challenges. Final-year medical students participated in a two-day program. The course encompassed empathizing with stakeholders, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and refining solutions. Presentation skills were emphasized, culminating in a symposium where teams showcase their outcomes. Implementation of the MasterMinds Challenge course was successful with 33 sessions delivered to 1217 medical students. Challenges covered various healthcare topics, yielding creative yet practical outcomes. Students appreciate the real world healthcare challenge, team-based approach, and the applicability of design thinking principles. Challenge owners expressed satisfaction with students' commitment, creativity, and empathizing abilities.

To further enhance the MasterMinds Challenge course, a more longitudinal format is being designed, enabling greater autonomy and emphasizing the refining and implementation phases. The course can be extended to medical postgraduate professionals and interdisciplinary collaborations, fostering innovative ideas beyond current practices. By developing problem-solving skills, the MasterMinds Challenge course contributes to a future-proof medical education program and prepares students to meet the evolving needs of healthcare.