For the last four years, we have undertaken an exhaustive Undergraduate Medical Education curriculum review and renewal process.

The new clerkship program for Med IIIs (Class of 2015) launched last August and we are very excited about rolling out the new pre-clerkship program in August 2014 for the incoming Class of 2018.

This is the most significant change to how medical school is taught at the University of Manitoba in nearly two decades.

It is the first time there has been a complete four-year ‘overhaul’ in institutional memory and ensures the pre-clerkship changes are closely linked and spiraled into an identifiable and governed clerkship curriculum.

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

The new curriculum expresses 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.

Commitment to the community is manifested by early and longitudinal exposure to individuals and their families in community clinics, agencies and activities.

Highlights of the new curriculum include Student Assessment and Logitudinal courses. Student assessment will occur for every unit or module, including Longitudinal courses, resulting in more frequent exams rather than block exams.

The Longitudinal Courses (Professionalism, Clinical Skills, Clinical Reasoning, Indigenous Health, and Public Health and Prevention) along with Longitudinal Themes(i.e. Diagnostic Imaging, Generalism, Geriatrics, Genetics, Health care systems/safety, Inter-professional activities, Health Psychology, Information Sciences, Pediatrics, and Palliative care) will be incorporated into all four years.

We are extremely proud of developing a curriculum for “Physicians for the 21st century” based on the following principles:

• Fulfills (or exceeds) UGME global objectives, Future of Medical Education in Canada (FMEC) recommendations and accreditation standards;
• Fully integrated spiral scaffold curriculum throughout four years
  • Enhance communication between faculty, and continuity with students
• Person to Community Centred
  • Not focused on organ system or department based
  • Fewer lectures, lecturers and more small group/interactive sessions;
• Builds upon existing or potential strengths
• Innovative – utilizing evolving technology
• Iterative and Transparent process
• Addresses Governance and Faculty Recognition

Throughout the curriculum renewal processes, many committed faculty and students have actively participated on the task force, in leadership positions and various course committees to enhance our learners’ educational experiences.

This has been a mammoth undertaking by many faculty and staff in UGME, medical education, departments, sections as well as students and others.

I want to thank Dr. Keevin Bernstein for his leadership and all participants for their dedication to the curriculum renewal process. We should all be proud of developing a new curriculum that exceeds the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada’s Future of Medical Education in Canada recommendations and LCME/CCME accreditation standards.

This is a great accomplishment. I believe our new made in Manitoba curriculum will serve as a model –and inspiration- for other medical schools.

Visit the Curriculum Renewal website here.
What are you most excited about in the new curriculum?