The Curriculum Review
Major changes in medical education in the last decade have been driven by the GMC following the publication of Tomorrow's Doctors (1993, 2002, 2009).
Advances in educational and medical educational knowledge in terms of effective, evidence-based teaching and learning strategies have underpinned a major review of the Aberdeen MBChB.
Examples of key features of the Curriculum Review:
- Integrated teaching of major systems in Years 1 and 2, encompassing basic sciences, disease, clinical history taking and examination.
- A move towards student-centred learning, with case-based learning used to enable a reduction in lecture-based teaching.
- The introduction of a four week Professional Practice Block at the end of final year
- A thread of Medical Humanities running through the course.
Transition from the old to the new curriculum is complex. A new Phase IV (Final year) was introduced in session 2008/09, the new year 1 in session 2009/10, in the new teaching and learning centre, the Suttie Centre. There is a transitional period when the new 2nd and 3rd yrs are rolled out, with the first cohort of students completing the new curriculum in its entirety in June 2014.
In terms of Medical Education Research, the Curriculum Review provides exciting opportunities, for example, planning and evaluating the implementation of e-portfolios, the integration of clinical and communication skills, the effectiveness of case-based learning.
For more information on the Curriculum Review, contact Professor Hamish McKenzie.