Clinical internship curriculum systems: a comparative analysis on the 4C/ID perspective

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Instructional Design
• Comparative Education

Background:

• Clinical internship curricula are crucial for medical training.
• The Four-Component Instructional Design (4C/ID) model offers a framework for analyzing educational programs.
• Understanding cross-cultural differences in medical education can inform curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical internship curricula in Chinese and foreign medical schools using the 4C/ID model.
• To identify systemic strengths and distinctive features of medical school curricula in different educational contexts.
• To analyze curriculum objectives, content structures, and evaluation frameworks.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative comparative case study design.
• Selection of ten top-ranked foreign and ten leading Chinese medical schools.
• Content analysis of curricular documents (syllabi, protocols, assessments) through the 4C/ID framework.

Main Results:

• Both systems adhere to 4C/ID principles, with divergent emphases: foreign schools on 'practice,' Chinese schools on 'ability.'
• Foreign schools foster collaborative ecosystems and manage cognitive load via progressive curricula; Chinese schools systematize knowledge and use phased skill assessments.
• Both recognize part-task practice, with foreign schools showing more innovative methods.

Conclusions:

• The 4C/ID model reveals distinct strengths in Chinese and foreign clinical internship programs.
• Foreign medical schools' sophisticated cognitive load management offers insights for medical education reform.
• Findings can enhance adaptability to modern healthcare demands.