Abstract
Purpose
Educational theories provide a guiding basis for coherent medical curriculum development and instruction in a similar way that evidence-based medicine provides a rational basis for medical treatment. The purpose of this review is to provide general organizational, theoretical and educational principles for developing or modifying an anesthesia curriculum.
Source
This paper draws from the general educational and cognitive psychology literature, the medical educational literature from the period 1996–2006, as well as our experience in renewing the anesthesia clerkship curriculum at McMaster University.
Principal findings
Successful curriculum development includes the consideration of stakeholder needs, organizational issues, funding and sustainability, curriculum design, implementation and evaluation. Curriculum design includes the development of curricular goals and objectives, determination of the content and its organization, instructional methods and strategies, and assessment of the learners. Curriculum evaluation is used to judge the curriculum’s merit and worth. The findings and recommendations from these evaluations feed back into the curriculum development cycle for further curricular improvements or modifications.
Conclusion
The current medical environment requires a responsive and efficacious curriculum that is able to keep up with its rapid pace of change. By providing a discussion of the educational and theoretical principles which underpin coherent curriculum development, this paper advocates a rational, theory-based approach to curriculum development.
Résumé
Objectif
Les théories pédagogiques fournissent les principes directeurs de l’élaboration et de la mise en oeuvre cohérente d’un cursus médical de la même façon que la médecine factuelle sert de fondement au traitement médical. L’objectif de notre revue est de présenter les principes organisationnels, théoriques et éducatifs généraux de l’élaboration ou de la modification des cursus en anesthésie.
Source
Nos sources viennent de la documentation générale sur l’éducation et la psychologie cognitive, les publications sur la formation médicale pour la période 1996 — 2006 et notre expérience du renouvellement du programme de stage en anesthésie à l’université McMaster.
Constatations principales
Le succès de l’élaboration d’un cursus repose sur le fait de tenir compte des besoins des participants, des questions d’organisation, du financement et de la pérennité, du plan du programme, de son implantation et de son évaluation. La conception d’un cursus comprend la définition de buts et d’objectifs, la détermination du contenu et son organisation, les méthodes et les stratégies pédagogiques ainsi que l’évaluation des étudiants. L’évaluation du cursus permet de juger de sa valeur et de son bien-fondé. Les résultats de ces évaluations et les recommandations qui en découlent vont permettre d’améliorer ou de modifier le cursus par la suite.
Conclusion
L’environnement médical actuel exige un cursus adapté et efficace qui peut suivre le rythme rapide des changements. L’analyse des principes éducatifs et théoriques nous amène à préconiser une approche objective de l’élaboration d’un cursus cohérent fondée sur la théorie.
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Wong, A.K. Curriculum development in anesthesia: Basic theoretical principles. Can J Anesth 53, 950–960 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03022839
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03022839