A new approach to course development in geriatric medicine

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Geriatric Medicine Curriculum Development

Background:

• A new Geriatric Medicine course was implemented in four District General Hospitals for second-year clinical students.
• The course was established at the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Birmingham University.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a student interview technique for formative course evaluation.
• To gather insights into student needs, attitudes, and responses to the Geriatric Medicine course.
• To assess the utility of interviews as a tool for curriculum design and development.

Main Methods:

• A formative evaluation using a structured interview technique was employed from the course's inception.
• Undergraduate students were randomly selected from each of the four participating centers for interviews.
• Interview findings were compiled into a report, corrected by students, and shared with tutors.

Main Results:

• The interview technique yielded invaluable data on student needs, attitudes, and course responses.
• Interview data provided unique insights not obtainable through traditional methods like questionnaires or exams.
• The process fostered a greater sense of student participation in the course's development.

Conclusions:

• The student interview technique is a reliable and consistent method for formative evaluation in medical education.
• This approach offers unique qualitative data valuable for curriculum design and enhancement.
• The time investment was reasonable, recommending this method for ongoing curriculum development involving students and tutors.