As reflected by our CuRe foundation principles, our new curriculum demonstrates a commitment to the community highlighting the importance of social responsibility, health advocacy, professionalism, while assuring the principles of scholarship and discovery, excellence and critical thinking are enhanced. Our commitment to the community is manifested by early and longitudinal exposure to individuals and their families in community clinics, agencies and activities.

Since 2010, Director of Curriculum Renewal, Dr. Keevin Bernstein, who reports to Associate Dean, UGME Dr. Ira Ripstein, has led the Curriculum Renewal process including: internal reviews, external consultations, establishment of specific task groups, stakeholder consultation, and faculty development.

The new clerkship curriculum is on target to commence in August 2013 for Class 2015. The new pre-clerkship curriculum will commence August 2014 for Class of 2018.
In summary, the Curriculum Renewal process and developments to date include:

1. Current Curriculum (introduced in 1997)Review process and needs assessment

2. Principles extracted from 11 CuRe Task Groups (2011)

3. Curriculum 21st century Framework: A 4 year fully integrated (both vertically and horizontally) spiral scaffold curriculum which includes the following components:

Composite Clinical Presentations(CP4) – Approximately 130-135 categorized presentations that students will be expected to ‘manage’ by the end of UGME curriculum in one of 4 areas: (1) Symptoms or Signs, (2) Lab abnormalities (3) Determinants of Health and (4) States of Health, underpinning the 4 years.

Longitudinal Courses (Professionalism, Clinical Skills, Clinical Reasoning, Indigenous Health and Community Health Sciences) included in all 4 years.

Human Biology, Health & Disease Modules (Modules 0-3)( replacing preclerkship)

Foundation Module(M0)

Human Biology & Health Module (M1)

Health & Disease Module (M2)

Consolidation Module(M3)

Longitudinal Themes: Longitudinal “Themes” that are not “courses” (and will not have a separate learner assessment) will have a faculty appointed leader and curricular content integrated throughout the four years (i.e. Diagnostic Imaging, Generalism, Geriatrics, Genetics, Health care systems/safety, Inter-professional activities, Health Psychology, Information Sciences, Pediatrics, and Palliative care).

Clerkship (Modules 4-7) A reorganized clerkship (M5), integrating some related specialty areas, accompanied by structured regular mandatory academic time preceded by a five-week Transition to Clerkship(M4) . The CuRe Clerkship group has been deliberating since June 2012 with a formal faculty forum planned for late June to present the final plans. The 4th year electives period (M6) will not change but after the CaRMS match there will be a more structured curriculum Transition to Residency (M7).

4. Governance and Revised Funding Model: Reorganized educational pre-clerkship and clerkship leadership to facilitate curriculum governance and transparency with hybrid funding model between UGME and academic departments.(link)

5. Student Assessment : Every unit or module, including Longitudinal courses, will have student assessment with more frequent exams in Modules 0-2 for each course each requiring mastery in contrast to current high stakes post 12-14 week block exam.

6. Faculty Development: Course leaders are currently presenting their overarching plans for their respective preclerkship courses.Faculty development will continue through Jan 2014 to build consensus on curricular content and learning strategies for M0-M3.

7. A curriculum evaluation process, to measure the effects of these changes, and make recommendations for improvement on an ongoing basis

The CuRe Framework, Project Map, Gantt chart and developments updated regularly are available on the Curriculum Renewal Website.