The University of Mississippi School of Medicine
2000; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 75; Issue: Supplement Linguagem: Inglês
10.1097/00001888-200009001-00054
ISSN1938-808X
Autores ResumoCurriculum Management and Governance Structure ♦ A formal systematic approach was put in place in 1990. ♦ Management involves the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs the Curriculum Committee the Evers Society—a student-led group formed to evaluate the curriculum and to identify excellence in teaching ♦ The management group evaluates curriculum recommends improvements monitors changes conducts follow-up evaluations to promote continuous improvement of curriculum ♦ Individual course reviews utilize NBME subject examinations, USMLE scores, student evaluations, and course directors' identification of strengths and areas for improvement. ♦ A database is being developed to use as an integrative tool for curriculum assessment. ♦ Changes are recommended to the school of medicine executive faculty and the vice chancellor and dean for approval. ♦ Changes are based on ongoing review of the curriculum. Office of Education ♦ There is no separate office of education in the medical school. ♦ The medical center has a Department of Institutional Research with responsibility for instructional development, evaluation, computer labs, training, and institutional research. The center staff work with all faculty on the health sciences campus. ♦ The department was established in the early 1980s as the Department of Instructional Development and Evaluation; its name was changed to Department of Institutional Research in 1988. ♦ In the last decade, the department has greatly expanded its training programs in computer technology and offers faculty programs to improve teaching skills. Budget to Support Educational Programs ♦ A discrete budget assigned to support the Department of Institutional Research provides services in support of the educational program. Valuing Teaching ♦ The Evers Society annually elects and honors five basic and five clinical science “all-star” teachers as well as one basic science and one clinical science Professor of the Year. ♦ Members of Alpha Omega Alpha elect and honor a Professor of the Year. ♦ The University of Mississippi Alumni Association's Medical Alumni Chapter sponsors awards for preclinical and clinical Professors of the Year. ♦ Students may nominate faculty members for the Golden Apple Award sponsored by the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) and the by American Medical Association Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS). ♦ Faculty may be honored in the medical student yearbook, The Medic. CURRICULUM RENEWAL PROCESS ♦ The curricular change process was begun in 1995-96. Its goals were Increased emphasis on primary care and ambulatory care in the clinical years Improved integration of curricular content across disciplines within each year and across the four years (horizontal and vertical integration) Decreased number of lecture hours in the curriculum and increased active learning opportunities ♦ The curriculum committee and its subcommittees were reorganized The Curriculum Development Subcommittee was established to study curricular content across the four years. The Curriculum Evaluation Subcommittee was established to study methods of student and course evaluation across all four years. The Steering Committee was created, consisting of the associate dean for academic affairs, the chair of the Curriculum Committee, the chair of the Development Subcommittee, the chair of the Evaluation Subcommittee, and an education specialist to coordinate and monitor the activities of the two subcommittees. A course directors' group for years one and two and a clinical course directors' group were organized and charged to improve integration within the curriculum, to increase active learning and establish an assessment schedule. Learning Outcomes ♦ Faculty have developed and approved learning objectives that encompass knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors medical students must demonstrate as a requirement of the MD degree. ♦ These outcomes are disseminated to faculty and students through the medical center bulletin, in the school of medicine handbook, and in discussions with students at orientation and class meetings. [The list of these out-comes is available from the author.] Changes in Pedagogy ♦ Since 1995, progress has been made in increasing active learning opportunities within the medical curriculum. ♦ In years one and two, both total hours and number of lectures have been reduced. ♦ The reduction in lectures has been accompanied by an increase in small-group discussions, computer-assisted learning, and self-directed learning. ♦ Case discussion are used throughout the education program to introduce clinical concepts to students and to facilitate integration of learning across years and disciplines. Application of Computer Technology ♦ Medical students are not required to have computers; a special low price is offered to students who have computers, from a local provider, allowing access to medical center educational resources. ♦ Students have access to 70 network computers available in four laboratories with e-mail, Microsoft Office 95, the Internet, and a variety of software required in various classes; they can print out handouts delivered by e-mail days prior to class. ♦ In the first year, physiology, anatomy, and academic information services courses require use of specific software. Course directors in biochemistry and Introduction to Clinical Medicine assign projects requiring students to perform Medline searches and access library journals using skills developed in the Introduction to Library Science course. ♦ In the second year, several classes distribute lecture and pretest material via e-mail and departmental Web sites. ♦ Many faculty use e-mail and Web sites to distribute lecture materials. ♦ Students in years three and four on ward rotations in clinical medicine are encouraged by their attending physicians to search Medline and read online journals. ♦ Courses in computers in medicine offer fourth-year students opportunities to develop skills in creating paper and virtual presentations. Changes in Assessment ♦ The Executive Faculty Committee approved a uniform instrument for assessment in all clinical courses of students' knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes. The items assessed correspond to the medical school objectives. ♦ The Department of Institutional Research is collecting data from the new standardized evaluation form to evaluate inter-rater agreement of faculty across clerkships. ♦ Faculty observation is the most commonly used method for the assessment of clinical skills. ♦ To complete the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course, every student is required to demonstrate competency in obtaining a history, performing a physical examination, and formulating an initial assessment under the direct observation of a faculty preceptor. ♦ In the third-year family medicine clerkship, students must complete an OSCE using standardized patients. ♦ In the fourth year, all students are required to demonstrate proficiency in clinical skills under the direct observation of an attending faculty member during a medicine inpatient course. ♦ Computer testing is not done currently except in individual cases of self-assessment and for students completing USMLE Step 1 and Step 2. Clinical Experiences ♦ In year one, students may work with clinical mentors and participate in summer preceptorships in the medical center or in physicians' offices. ♦ In year two, students work with clinical preceptors in the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course and see both inpatients and clinic patients. ♦ In year three, during the required family medicine clerk-ship, each student spends four weeks with a clinical faculty member outside the medical center, usually in a rural setting. Two additional weeks are spent with family medicine faculty and residents in a private affiliated hospital in the city. ♦ In other third-year clerkships, students rotate through inpatient services, clinics, and private physicians' offices. ♦ In year four, students may take as many as two extramural rotations for credit outside the institution. Students may take electives in the Department of Emergency Medicine (adult or pediatric) or the neonatal, pediatric, surgical, or medical intensive care units. Curriculum Review Process ♦ Evaluation of curricular changes made since 1995 includes ♦ Student performances on standardized examinations ♦ Student satisfaction with the curriculum as reported on internal surveys and the AAMC Graduation Questionnaire ♦ Satisfaction of graduates and residency program directors with the preparation of students for the practice of medicine Future Goals Major issues the school will review in the next five years include: ♦ The increasing role of technology in medical education ♦ The need to maintain the patient base in ambulatory and inpatient areas for optimal clinical experiences ♦ The need to maintain volunteer faculty who afford students opportunities for clinical experiences in rural and underserved areas ♦ The need to enhance faculty development in all departments ♦ Utilization of data regarding student performance to improve evaluation and to enhance instruction
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