How we avoid patient shortage with an integrated analysis of learning objectives and clinical data during development of undergraduate medical curricula

Abstract

Access to patients is a crucial factor for student-centred medical education. However, increasing numbers of students, teacher shortage, a patient spectrum consisting of rarer diseases, and quicker discharges limit this necessary access, and therefore pose a challenge for curriculum designers. The herein presented algorithm improves access to patients in four steps by using routinely available electronic patient data already during curriculum development. Step I: Learning objectives are mapped to appropriate ICD-10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases) codes. Step II: It is determined which learning opportunities need to be considered first for patient allocation in order to maximise overall benefit. Step III: Hospital's departments with the highest expertise on respective learning objectives are assessed and selected for teaching. Step IV: Patients of the chosen department that present the best match for a given learning opportunity are assigned to participation. This integrated analysis of learning objectives and existing clinical data during curriculum development is a well-structured method to maximise access to patients. Furthermore, this algorithm identifies learning objectives of a curriculum that do not correspond well to the spectrum of patients of the respective teaching hospital and which should therefore be taught in learning formats without patient contact.

Curriculum Mapping of Undergraduate Medical Programmes: Recommendations for Future Directions

“…if the stakeholders are involved in the planning, and if the platform allows for some flexibility and ongoing development as the needs change [3], [6]- [8], [12]- [15].…”

Curriculum mapping for health professions education: a typology

“…Some maps capture what is taught in the current calendar year (Keijsers et al, 2015;Narayanasamy et al, 2013;Plaza et al, 2007;Robley et al, 2005); some are retrospective and capture what was taught in the previous year (Britten et al, 2014;Malone et al, 2015;McGrath et al, 2006;Perlin, 2011;Talbot et al, 2007); others are prospective and capture what is taught in the following year (Madsen & Bell, 2012); and some with archiving systems can capture all three calendar phases (Watson, 2013). The educational setting captured can vary from activities based on campus (Keijsers et al, 2015;Watson et al, 2007), in the workplace (Balzer, Bietenbeck et al, 2015;Britten et al, 2014;Hatfield & Bangert, 2005;Neiworth et al, 2014;Olmos & Corrin, 2011;Sarkisian & Taylor, 2013;Wong & Roberts, 2007) and online (Ozdemir & Stebbins, 2015;Prince et al, 2011;Taleff et al, 2009). The educational programs can vary from undergraduate (Keijsers et al, 2015;Malone et al, 2015;Plaza et al, 2007) to postgraduate and traineeships (Britten et al, 2014;Prince et al, 2011;van den Heuvel et al, 2017;Wong & Roberts, 2007).…”

“…As noted by Piotrowski (2011), curriculum mapping and management systems must accommodate a variety of curricular models, particularly in medicine. For example, a curricular orientation may be outcomes-based and studentcentred (Balzer, Hautz et al, 2016;Kies, 2010;Watson et al, 2007) or practice-based and patient-centred (Balzer, Bietenbeck et al, 2015;Sarkisian & Taylor, 2013;Wong & Roberts, 2007). Table 2 outlines the parameters and possible options evident for dimension two.…”

Good teaching is good teaching: A narrative review for effective medical educators

“…As observed by McKimm and Stanwick (2009), “Medical education uses a range of terms – aims, learning outcomes, learning objectives, competencies – to describe what learners should achieve as a result of educational interventions.” Regardless of the chosen term, a recent study (Watling et al, ) suggested that medical education frequently has difficulty in clearly defining objectives for medical learners because of the complex nature of medical practice. Any teacher wanting to be an effective educator, however, should always begin by crafting learning objectives for the students as part of curriculum development (Balzer et al, ) in order to provide a compass for the learning activities planned for medical students. These objectives must be clear both to student and teacher (Bassaw et al, ), specific, observable, measureable, and assessable.…”