Putting Principles Into Practice: Curricular Resources for Transplant Infectious Diseases Educators

Area of Science:

• Transplant Infectious Diseases (TID)
• Medical Education
• Immunocompromised Host Management

Background:

• Transplant infectious diseases (ID) is a specialized field within infectious diseases.
• Existing formal curricular recommendations for TID lack consistent implementation.
• Heterogeneity in training programs necessitates standardized educational approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a practical framework and tools for building and implementing a TID curriculum.
• To guide the translation of high-level recommendations into actionable training strategies.
• To address the need for standardized education in transplant infectious diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of curricular components and innovations from four US-based adult and pediatric TID training programs.
• Identification of essential educational program components: personnel, didactics, resources, experiential learning, and assessment.
• Development of adaptable tools and strategies, including schedules, self-directed curricula, and nonclinical learning opportunities.

Main Results:

• A framework highlighting key personnel, structured didactics, curated resources, experiential learning, and competency-based assessment.
• Adaptable tools such as didactic schedules, self-directed curricula, and guidance on leveraging external resources (podcasts, literature).
• Strategies for incorporating nonclinical experiential learning, including simulation and protocol development.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework and resources are adaptable to various institutional contexts.
• These tools can supplement clinical exposure variations and enhance nonclinical skills vital for TID practice.
• Scalable curricula are essential for training future TID clinicians and ensuring high-quality care for immunocompromised patients.