Reimagining the Undergraduate Medical Education Systems-Based Course: An Example for the Cardiovascular System

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cardiovascular System Pedagogy

Background:

• Undergraduate medical education requires effective teaching strategies for complex subjects like the cardiovascular system.
• Traditional lecture formats may not fully engage students or optimize learning outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and outcomes of evidence-based teaching strategies in an undergraduate cardiovascular system course.
• To assess the impact of pedagogical changes on student experience and course approval.

Main Methods:

• Integrated evidence-based teaching methods with student feedback to revise course structure, content, and delivery.
• Modified the cardiovascular system course to include new learning objectives, "mini-tracks," shorter lectures, and spaced repetition.
• Increased the proportion of active learning (AL) activities within the course.

Main Results:

• The cardiovascular system course was significantly restructured, incorporating active learning in 31.7% of activities.
• Student approval ratings for the course demonstrated a substantial increase following the implementation of changes.
• The revised curriculum successfully enhanced student engagement and satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Adoption of evidence-based educational techniques can lead to improved student outcomes and satisfaction in medical courses.
• Course directors are encouraged to regularly assess and update their teaching methodologies.
• Strategic restructuring of medical curricula can optimize the learning experience for complex physiological systems.