Curriculum EvaluationCurriculum Evaluation

Reverend Dr David TaylorReverend Dr David TaylorDirector of Quality Enhancement Director of Quality Enhancement

School of Medical EducationSchool of Medical EducationUniversity of LiverpoolUniversity of Liverpool

And minister ofAnd minister ofSt. Michael and All Angels, AltcarSt. Michael and All Angels, Altcar

Why me?Why me?

I am responsible for quality I am responsible for quality enhancement of the medical schoolenhancement of the medical school

I am a visitor for the UK General I am a visitor for the UK General Medical Council Medical Council

Evaluation ofEvaluation of

Course componentsCourse components Course/programmeCourse/programme StaffStaff

Two Considerations

Process Process WhatWhat How wellHow well

ProductProduct OutcomesOutcomes Knowledge, skills and attitudesKnowledge, skills and attitudes Fit for purposeFit for purpose

Process in the UKProcess in the UK

InternalInternal All components of the courseAll components of the course

UniversityUniversity Annual programme monitoringAnnual programme monitoring Periodic review (every 5 years)Periodic review (every 5 years)

External – the General Medical CouncilExternal – the General Medical Council Twice in any 10 year periodTwice in any 10 year period

University

Internal

GMC

InternalInternal

Process (Quantitative and Process (Quantitative and qualitative)qualitative) Student evaluation of componentsStudent evaluation of components Student evaluation of teaching staffStudent evaluation of teaching staff Staff evaluation of componentsStaff evaluation of components

ProductProduct Student performance in assessmentStudent performance in assessment

Against definable/defendable standardsAgainst definable/defendable standards

AnnualAnnual

Based on a Self-evaluation document Based on a Self-evaluation document under 9 headingsunder 9 headings IntroductionIntroduction Progress from last years actionsProgress from last years actions Feedback from staffFeedback from staff Feedback from studentsFeedback from students Feedback from most recent graduatesFeedback from most recent graduates Programme informationProgramme information External examiners reports and action on themExternal examiners reports and action on them Areas of good practiceAreas of good practice Statistical commentaryStatistical commentary

Periodic ReviewPeriodic Review

Every 5 years the course is reviewed by a Every 5 years the course is reviewed by a senior teamsenior team Aims and outcomesAims and outcomes CurriculumCurriculum AssessmentAssessment EnhancementEnhancement Learning and teachingLearning and teaching Student progressionStudent progression Learning resourcesLearning resources

External - GMCExternal - GMC

Basic information and committee Basic information and committee structuresstructures

Curricular outcomes, content and structureCurricular outcomes, content and structure Delivering the curriculumDelivering the curriculum Student support guidance and feedbackStudent support guidance and feedback Assessing student performanceAssessing student performance Student health and conductStudent health and conduct Reflecting modern societyReflecting modern society

How to make sure the plan How to make sure the plan comes togethercomes together

David Taylor

Liverpool

In the UK there is little In the UK there is little flexibilityflexibility

The GMC have produced two The GMC have produced two documentsdocuments Tomorrow’s DoctorsTomorrow’s Doctors The New DoctorThe New Doctor

Between them they define what we Between them they define what we have to make sure the students have to make sure the students knowknow

Our handbook gives a generic Our handbook gives a generic syllabussyllabus

Subject knowledge & understandingSubject knowledge & understanding As ‘core’, students will be able to synthesize, appraise, As ‘core’, students will be able to synthesize, appraise,

explain, and apply the relevant information/evidence about:explain, and apply the relevant information/evidence about: the structure and mechanisms of the body in health the structure and mechanisms of the body in health

and disease, from molecules up to the whole organism and disease, from molecules up to the whole organism related to:related to:

normal and abnormal structure and function of the body and its normal and abnormal structure and function of the body and its defence mechanisms; the natural history, symptoms, and signs defence mechanisms; the natural history, symptoms, and signs of disease; and the biological rationale for therapy and the of disease; and the biological rationale for therapy and the processes underlying its complicationsprocesses underlying its complications

variability in the role of the determinants of health and disease, variability in the role of the determinants of health and disease, the presentation of disease, and the response to therapythe presentation of disease, and the response to therapy

clinical diagnosis and management of common conditionsclinical diagnosis and management of common conditions The interrelationships of social, psychological, economic, The interrelationships of social, psychological, economic,

political, environmental, cultural factors on health and political, environmental, cultural factors on health and diseasedisease

Our first stepOur first step

Was to decide which 200 cases a Was to decide which 200 cases a student would need to be familiar student would need to be familiar with when they graduatedwith when they graduated We finally agreed on about 208We finally agreed on about 208

Core CasesCore Cases

ThenThen

We decided which cases the students We decided which cases the students would study through PBLwould study through PBL

PBL modulesPBL modules

ScenarioScenario

Then Then

The students determine the learning The students determine the learning objectives in their PBL groups – they objectives in their PBL groups – they can see every groups’ learning can see every groups’ learning objectivesobjectives

Learning objectivesLearning objectives

Which we examineWhich we examine

Each yearEach year

We review the cases in the light of We review the cases in the light of the learning objectives the the learning objectives the students are obtainingstudents are obtaining

And the examination resultsAnd the examination results

And change the cases accordinglyAnd change the cases accordingly Or even the course!Or even the course!

As part of a long term As part of a long term projectproject

We compared the supervisors view of We compared the supervisors view of the competencies of the graduates the competencies of the graduates from our traditional course and the from our traditional course and the first cohort of our new curriculum first cohort of our new curriculum studentsstudents

A series of papers are coming out A series of papers are coming out this summer (winter…)this summer (winter…)

Each yearEach year

We review the content of one of the four We review the content of one of the four subject themessubject themes Structure and functionStructure and function Individuals, groups and societiesIndividuals, groups and societies Population perspectivePopulation perspective Professional and personal developmentProfessional and personal development

A senior committee of subject specialists A senior committee of subject specialists does the initial workdoes the initial work

Then the programme team makes the Then the programme team makes the agreed changesagreed changes

Periodic reviewPeriodic review

20062006years 1 & 2years 1 & 2 20072007years 3 & 4years 3 & 4 20082008year 5year 5 20092009whole programme whole programme

university plus external advisorsuniversity plus external advisors General Medical CouncilGeneral Medical Council

20102010year without review!year without review! 20112011I will be 55 …I will be 55 …