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only 4% of students are interested in becoming
geriatricians. In fact, for physicians and students
alike, geriatrics is consistently rated as the leastprestigious
medical subspecialty. Some studies
reveal no improvement in medical students'
attitudes toward geriatrics despite improvements in
knowledge of how to care for older patients. As the
proportion of older adults increases, the current
cohort of medical students will be expected to care
for elderly patients regardless of the specialties they
choose. Regarding curriculum development,
students may find an integrated geriatric curriculum
to be more relevant to their careers than a standalone
curriculum. Clinical clerkships might be in a
better position to emphasize the positive aspects of
geriatrics. We believe that implementing a geriatric
track in the medical school will result in critical
changes, initiated and supported by students and
faculty which will provide students with the unique
opportunity to enhance their ability to provide
higher-quality and more cost effective care to older
people with chronic and complex conditions.
Curriculum Abstract ID: 132
DEVELOPING PRECLERKSHIP
GERIATRICS IN A CLINICAL
PRESENTATION SCHEME-BASED
INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM
Tania Arana, Ph.D. and Kallie Appleton, MS III;
TTUHSC - Paul L. Foster School of Medicine 5001
El Paso Drive, El Paso, Texas, USA
PURPOSE
The fastest growing patient population in the US is
the geriatric patient. This requires medical schools
to go through curricula reform to better prepare
medical students to address this rising patient
population. In response to this, the AAMC has
recently published the AAMC Geriatric
Competencies for Medical Students (GCMS). These
competencies represent a consensus on the
minimum competencies in Geriatrics for a
graduating medical student.
METHODS
It is difficult, however, in an already too full
curriculum, to add more lecture time. This poses
obvious challenges, including getting
Faculty/student buy-in and time constraints while
supporting the ongoing curriculum. There is no
place for creating new courses in Geriatrics.
Therefore, in this project we discuss the process by
which we have identified where basic science
content related to the geriatric patient could be
integrated in our existing curriculum, as well as our
choice of the delivery mechanism. We used an
experiential-based process. Through consultation
with MS III students, the GCMS and the help of
geriatricians as content experts, gaps in our exiting
curriculum related to Geriatrics were identified. We
have developed a series of short content-rich videos
(Camtasias) in the context of a specific older adult
patient. These Camtasias cover atypical
presentation of disease in older adults.
RESULTS
Once the project is implemented, student’s
performance will be assessed through pre and post
tests.
CONCLUSION
Students are expected to increase their performance
on Geriatrics. Ultimately, this will help students as
future physicians to better care for geriatric
patients. We want to share our process and
experience with others in the hope that others can
implement Geriatrics in their curriculum.
Curriculum Abstract ID: 133
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF A CARDIOVASCULAR ORGAN SYSTEM
COURSE AT A NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL
Robert A. Augustyniak and James G. Goldstein
Oakland University William Beaumont School of
Medicine, Rochester, MI, USA
PURPOSE
Traditionally, medical curricula are disciplinebased,
and teaching of normal and abnormal
processes are separated by long periods of time.
This approach makes it difficult for students to
integrate across disciplines and the normal to
abnormal spectrum. An integrated, organ system
curriculum should circumvent this. Here we
describes the development and implementation of a
6-week, integrated, cardiovascular organ-system
course for M1 students.
METHODS
A basic scientist and a clinician served as co-course
directors to ensure the appropriate balance of
course content. It was decided that there would be
two broad goals. First, the course was structured so
that the initial two weeks focused on normal
function to provide a foundation for the remaining
four weeks that each focused on a disease block.
Additionally, each week would conclude with a
student-centered activity designed to integrate the
key concepts that were presented within a given
week.
Medical Science Educator © IAMSE 2012 Volume 22(4S) 286