The Harvard Medical School Pathways Curriculum: Reimagining Developmentally Appropriate Medical Education for Contemporary Learners

Abstract

As the U.S. health care system changes and technology alters how doctors work and learn, medical schools and their faculty are compelled to modify their curricula and teaching methods. In this article, educational leaders and key faculty describe how the Pathways curriculum was conceived, designed, and implemented at Harvard Medical School. Faculty were committed to the principle that educators should focus on how students learn and their ability to apply what they learn in the evaluation and care of patients. Using the best evidence from the cognitive sciences about adult learning, they made major changes in the pedagogical approach employed in the classroom and clinic. The curriculum was built upon 4 foundational principles: to enhance critical thinking and provide developmentally appropriate content; to ensure both horizontal integration between courses and vertical integration between phases of the curriculum; to engage learners, foster curiosity, and reinforce the importance of student ownership and responsibility for their learning; and to support students’ transformation to a professional dedicated to the care of their patients and to their obligations for lifelong, self-directed learning. The practice of medicine is rapidly evolving and will undoubtedly change in multiple ways over the career of a physician. By emphasizing personal responsibility, professionalism, and thinking skills over content transfer, the authors believe this curriculum will prepare students not only for the first day of practice but also for an uncertain future in the biological sciences, health and disease, and the nation’s health care system, which they will encounter in the decades to come.

[Retracted] Research on the Path and Effect Evaluation of Students’ Quality Improvement in Private Colleges

“…In the 1980s, scholars began to think about the issues related to general education and qualityoriented education and began to discuss the best way to set up university courses. General education in modern universities originated in the United States [1], and the important task of core courses of Harvard education is to transmit common values to students from different backgrounds [2]. With the continuous development and evolution of new ideas of general education, universities represented by American universities are constantly influencing the development of general education in universities around the world.…”

Why social accountability of medical schools in Sudan can lead to better primary healthcare and excellence in medical education?

“…The concept of social accountability of medical schools is widely accepted in Canada, the USA, and Korea. [ 48 49 50 ] The main components are education, research, and service. In this critical analysis, we have critically analyzed the literature about social accountability with a special focus on how this can fit within the current situation in Sudan.…”

A Trauma-Informed Approach to the Medical History: Teaching Trauma-Informed Communication Skills to First-Year Medical and Dental Students

“…This session required students to complete preparatory work, consistent with the case-based collaborative learning (flipped classroom) model used in the HMS curriculum. 15 , 22 The preparatory assignment included a series of didactic concept videos and simulated patient interview videos ( Appendices B , C , and D ) totaling 75 minutes. We supplied students with a student guide ( Appendix E ) to provide anticipatory guidance for what to expect during the session.…”

“…14 In the curriculum at Harvard Medical School (HMS), medical and dental students interview patients as early as their first month of school and begin practicing physical examination the following month. 15 Given the ubiquity of trauma, students encounter traumatic disclosures early on and need skills to respond to them. For this reason, an HMS student-faculty interest group advocated for the inclusion of TIC in multiple areas of the HMS curriculum.…”