Curriculum Committee Minutes - October 28, 2003

 

Present: Ragan, Davidson, , Kaunitz, Lorena, Genuardi, Allen, Duerson, Vidaurreta, Chen, Harrell, Romrell, Karle, Caro, Meuleman, Burchfield, Sumners, Douglas, Gulig, Hatch, Gold, Rathe, Rarey, Butson,

 

Guests;  LuAnn Cooper, Rob Laurence (MEME)

 

Recording Minutes: Margie McGarva

 

Announcements

Dr. Romrell reported that 1st and 2nd year students are into exam cycles.  Lorena Merano stated that students in her class are doing well.

 

Dr. Davidson announced a Subcommittee on Public Health and Prevention was formed.  Members included Janice Ho, Asal, Mark Gold, Arlen Rosenberg, Patti Ragan

 

Charge: survey public health and preventive medicine content, make recommendations to Curriculum Committee regarding specific changes/additions. Will present recommendations in February.

 

Evaluation Subcommittee Retreat to address grading distribution (Harris report). Will present recommendations in March.

 

In September 2002, the Nutrition Subcommittee presented a curriculum which was endorsed.

 

"The committee recommended that a work group be established to move forward the implementation of this plan and this would be addressed by Dr. Davidson upon assuming the Chairmanship."

 

The working group of this subcommittee includes Mike Chen (replacing Dr. Davidson), Heather Harrell, Larry Rooks, Josef Neu, and MaryJo Koroly .

 

Capstone: the crowning achievement or final stroke; the culmination or acme.

 

Agenda

         A brief history of "underrepresented topics"

         A brief history of "third-fourth year continuum" and "intersessions"

         Plans for a Capstone experience to provide both content and assessment

 

"Special Topics: A History"

         1994: subcommittee appointed to address curricular deficiencies in:

                  Geriatrics

                  Health Services

                  Rehabilitation

                  Doctor/Patient Relationship

                  Evidence-Based Medicine

                  Nutrition

                  Health Promotion/Disease Prevention

 

Continuum/Intersessions (History)

         1997: first discussions about "flexibility" in the third and fourth years

1.     surgical subspecialties full in July

2.     anesthesia, ER not available in the 3rd year

 

Two possibilities: deferment or continuum

1999: students offered the option of "deferring: a clerkship until the 4th year

 

Dr. Romrell gave an overview: In 1999, we gave students an opportunity to defer anything.  One-third of the class deferred neurology and anesthesiology.  The logistics were impossible for clerkships to handle.  Surgical subspecialties were opened up to students.  This year, 10-15 students are deferring.  Some are missing parts of family medicine and PBE that comes with it; however, they are required to take PBE's with their class. 

 

The 2003 RETREAT

 

         Around 70% of students felt offering a deferment was "essential" or "important"

         Most would take a  required 4th yr clerkship early

         Recommendation:  All students can defer one core clerkship( except medicine) to

the 4th year

 

Intersessions

 

         "Short-term, teaching blocks integrated into the clinical years"

Purpose: to cover content relevant to the clinical years that is currently inadequately covered (i.e. "special topic)")

         Would fit well with continuum concept; what to do without it?

 

Graduation Questionnaire

 

Dr. Davidson showed the AAMC questionnaire on UF's weak areas in teaching students, i.e. nutrition, pain management, public health, drug and alcohol abuse, primary care, etc. The national questionnaire was administered by the AAMC.  In 1999 it went to web-based administration and addresses over 200 items.  In 2002, students gave 14,000 responses (91%).

 

Proposal

A pilot program be instituted in the spring 2004 during Internship 101

         Three topics will be selected to be presented to the 4th year students.

Each student must pick at least one topic but my pick all if they want.

         Based on the success of this pilot, a month of "special topics" would be developed

for the 4th year.

 

Capstone Evaluation – Dr. Davidson asked for members and ex-officio members to vote on at least 3 topics listed below:

 

         Informatics/strategies for keeping current

                  Palliative care and/or pain control

                  Advanced clinical skills training on patient simulator

                  Clinical nutrition

         Bioterrorism

         Use of the clinical lab, including cost effective use of laboratory tests

         Addiction medicine/impaired physician

         Alternative medicine

 

"As the pressures to limit postgraduate training and the need for increasing efficiency in patient care converge, residency directors will come to expect incoming first-year residents to demonstrate competence in a spectrum of skills that had previously been taught in residency.  Responsibility for early competence in the practical skills necessary to practice medicine will shift from postgraduate training programs to the medical schools."  Academic Med article (2003)78:39-44 (Langdale etal)

 

Performance-Based Examinations at UF

         PBE 1: 8 stations with interstations; emphasis history, PE, communication

skills, basic science knowledge

         PBE 2:  8 stations with interstations; emphasis history, PE, basic science

knowledge

PBE 3A: 8 stations with interstations; emphasis history, PE, clinical knowledge, EBM

         PBE 3B: 8 stations with interstations; emphasis history, PE, clinical knowledge

 

What skills are necessary for success as a PGY1?  "Advanced" clinical skills are not assessed independently at UF.

 

Patient Management Cases

1.     Two cases per clerkship

2.     Cases should be representative of simple inpatients who would be seen in the ER with reason for admission, or who would be hospitalized for other reasons.

3.     There should be a fair amount of agreement among faculty in your field regarding:

a.     Whether the case should be admitted or not

b.     What a differential diagnosis should be

c.     What standard admission orders and management plan could be expected

d.      

Dr. Davidson suggested asking for feedback from pre-developed cases by clerkship directors and tested with other members of their department so we will  know if we can grade it or not.  Heather Harrell suggested cases be given to residents to see if they have the skills to complete the case.

 

Objective

To provide the Curriculum Committee with information regarding graduate

performance on advanced clinical skills

Performance of selected procedures using simulators

Appropriately written admission or clinic note, including test ordering

Development of appropriate assessment and management plan for provided history and physical examination

 

Logistics

         Evaluation in the afternoons of the first week of "Internship 101"

         Students do NOT have to pass

         Students should NOT prepare

         Students will be given feedback and recommendations for self-remediation

         Results compared with competency-based program director form anonymously

 

This pilot program would start in the spring of 2004 and will not be more than one afternoon.  Members and ex-officio members were asked to support this pilot.  Dr. Kaunitz affirmed the motion and Dr. Rathe seconded it.  A show of support was made by hand count and was passed unanimously.

 

Dr. Davidson announced that the December meeting will be the 2nd Tuesday (Dec 9), and the November meeting will be held on the 25th (the 4th Tues).

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:50 a.m.