Adapting Nephrology Training Curriculum in the Era of COVID-19

Abstract

Purpose of review: The COVID-19 pandemic has widespread implications not only for clinical practice but also for academic medicine and postgraduate training. The need to promote physical distancing and flexibility within our department has generated important revisions to the core curriculum for the Adult Nephrology Training Program in Vancouver, Canada. Sources of information: We reviewed available educational resources and objectives to develop curricular adaptations informed by staff and trainee feedback. Methods: Many facets of the program including clinical rotations, scholarly activities, evaluation, and wellness have been impacted, and thus revised for online delivery where possible. Trainees have personalized a learning plan based on individual goals and supplemented by a list of internet-based resources for independent review. Changes in learning objectives and methods for specific rotations have occurred and are described. Ongoing evaluation will be undertaken. Key findings: Curriculum adaptation in the era of COVID-19 is necessary to ensure ongoing high-quality education for future nephrologists. We describe existing changes to formal training in British Columbia (BC), which will be tailored as the pandemic evolves, and anticipate them to have lasting impact on the way we structure training programs in the future. Standardization and harmonization of modified curriculum may be possible across Canada with sharing of these learnings. Limitations: Formal evaluation of these changes in terms of knowledge acquisition and examination performance has not yet been undertaken. Next steps will include assessing and documenting the impact of this curricular transformation to further optimize scheduling, educational yield, and trainee wellness.

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‘Authentic’ Assessment of Clinical Competence: Where We Are and Where We Want to Go in Future

“…However, this led to the implementation of novel online PBL that became really very effective and successful, and it was subsequently integrated into the curriculum. 26,[29][30][31][32] This rapid restructuring procedure opens opportunities to strengthen student engagement by involving them in the planning and execution of learning resources. 33,34 Several researchers have argued that involving students as stakeholders in their education adds value and fosters intrinsic motivation, which strongly correlates with self-efficacy and academic performance.…”