Utilizing learning communities to deliver an integrated undergraduate medical education curriculum

Abstract

Aim Learning communities (LCs) have been identified as a structure to support student wellness as well as create a positive learning environment and have been increasingly adopted in undergraduate medical education (UGME). In 2016, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine made curricular changes which integrated basic, social, and clinical sciences. One of the major strategies adopted to deliver this integrated curriculum was to create LCs that served as a central scaffold for students’ academic development. Our primary aim is to describe how the school utilized LC faculty to deliver this core integrated curriculum. Methods Students were surveyed about their perceptions of the effectiveness of the LCs in delivering an integrated science curriculum. Student academic performance in the new curriculum was compared to that of students from the legacy curriculum as a measure of the effectiveness of the curricular changes. Results The percentage of students in each class who responded to surveys ranged between 78.7% and 95.8%. Mean Likert responses (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree) for statements ‘the Faculty Fellow is effective in helping me learn the scholar group content’, ‘the Faculty Fellow is an effective teacher in our scholar group’, and ‘the Faculty Fellow is well prepared for our scholar group’ ranged from 4.37 to 4.78, 4.72 to 4.76, and 4.81 to 4.86, respectively. In addition, a comparison of summative exam scores of the new curriculum’s students to the legacy curriculum’s students demonstrated comparable or better performances in the new curriculum. Conclusions Utilizing LCs to deliver an integrated science curriculum is an underutilized strategy in UGME. Surveys on student satisfaction and academic performance are encouraging. Additional outcome measures are planned to continually evaluate this innovative multifaceted integration.

Key Attributes of a Medical Learning Community Mentor at One Medical School: The Mentee Perspective

“…This competence is echoed in the literature. A recent survey of mentees who matched into plastic surgery residencies found that items related to a genuine interest in the mentee’s career and personal development and a willingness to set aside time for teaching as the highest-rated attributes (Ahmady et al, 2020; Barker et al, 2016; Braunreiter et al, 2022; Frosch & Goldstein, 2019; Vuk et al, 2021). The mentees from the same study also stressed the importance of one-on-one time with their mentor and listed mentors’ time constraints as a substantial barrier to the mentorship relationship (Barker et al, 2016).…”

Thinking of Learning Communities? Here Are Some of the Ways They May Benefit Your Medical Students

“…In this model, and at the beginning of the new academic year, the year one medical students entering the programme replace the graduating cohort. LCs should be purposefully small to create a positive and effective learning environment 3 and they should also be as culturally diverse in nature and gender balanced as much as possible. 4 , 5 However, as each medical school is different, the number of communities, and the proportion of students in each and their diversity, will most likely be dictated by the size of the class and the demographics of the student population.…”

“…Additionally, LCs aim to foster a culture of lifelong learning. 3 , 6 They therefore can be viewed as supportive networks that are characterised by collaborative and studious, yet social, environments.…”

“…By engaging in communities that prioritise continuous education, students develop a mindset of curiosity, inquiry, and self-improvement that prepares them for post-graduate training and their future career in the workplace. 3 , 16 , 17 It is also often assumed that the training and knowledge acquired in medical training as a student, and the often unstructured practical work and teaching experience gained post-graduation in the clinical setting, is sufficient for preparing practitioners for specialist training. 18 This perhaps highlights the lack of continuity in teaching and learning approaches as students migrate from undergraduate education into further health professions education as a postgraduate.…”