UBC MD student, Michael Rizzuto
In August of 2015, the UBC MD Undergraduate Program launched a renewed curriculum. Based on longitudinal learning, the traditional smaller blocks of material that have historically dominated the medical curriculum have been reshaped into “spirals” of integrated Themes, Systems and Clinical Experiences that will recur across all four years. Material taught in the foundational sciences such as anatomy, histology, physiology and genetics have been resurrected, at increasing levels of complexity, across all four years, while simulation exercises and immersion into clinical contexts are introduced right from the first year.
We caught up with Michael Rizzuto, who just completed Year 1 of his MD studies with the first cohort of students partaking in the renewed curriculum. We caught up with him to discuss his experience.
What has been your experience so far with the renewed curriculum?
If I were to sum up my experience in one word I would describe it as “dynamic”. The renewed curriculum is structured in such a way that students delve into the complexities of a different body system each week by exploring patient cases, illnesses and physiological phenomena.
Each week ends with our Friday morning Case Based Learning session followed by a Week Integration session. This effectively allows us to tie up any loose ends in the patient case, discuss what we have learned over the week and how it applies to clinical practice. Immediately after lunch we move on to a new week and a vastly different experience as we begin to integrate new information into our stream of consciousness.
The Faculty of Medicine has also been exceedingly attentive to the needs of students throughout this transition. Our class council has met regularly with faculty members throughout this inaugural year to discuss refinements to the curriculum which will improve student quality of life as well as the value and impact of each and every session. Overall, this is an exciting new direction UBC Medicine has taken with the curriculum and I am thrilled to be a part of it.
Why do you think the renewed curriculum serves student needs better?
At this stage in our medical education we are quite focused on capturing as much knowledge as possible and learning ways to apply that knowledge in future clinical scenarios. We need to learn how to be physicians and develop competencies that will allow us to function autonomously in our future careers.
In the renewed curriculum themes spiral back and allow us to learn longitudinally with vastly different patient cases each week, much like we will have in clinical practice. By virtue of being exposed to numerous systems and having that information on hand week-by-week we are able to gain a fuller appreciation of the clinical decision making process and develop more thorough differential diagnoses and investigation strategies. The clustering of topical lectures, labs and hands-on clinical skills sessions each week really gives us the tools to develop an approach to the investigation, treatment and management of disease.
This form of learning builds a solid foundation of integrated experiences that will allow us to bring an open mind to our clinical years and a concrete approach to caring for patients with a variety of health concerns. As MD students we are still exploring the world of medicine and many of us are unsure as to where we wish to take our careers (through residency). The renewed curriculum has built in a Flexible Enhanced Learning (FLEX) course in Years 1 & 2 that allows us to take part in a variety of self-directed projects in any field or discipline we wish to explore in order to broaden our horizons.
What, in your opinion, is the benefit of longitudinal learning?
In contrast to the compartmentalized method of teaching where courses are taught in isolation from one another, the longitudinal method allows instructors to weave topics together and develop “synapses” between themes. In my opinion, the difficulty (and benefit) comes with the fact that the learner is asked to maintain a broad array of topics in their stream of consciousness at any given time. However, maintaining the links between topics is how longitudinal learning sets the stage for the development of critical thinking and clinical decision making skills. I also feel as though the longitudinal style allows for better integration of knowledge for future application in a dynamic clinical setting. In addition, by revisiting topics every so often, learners are likely better able to commit what they’ve encountered to long term memory.
What makes the UBC MD program unique?
Aside from the benefits of longitudinal spiral teaching methods and case based learning approach, what impresses me about the UBC MD program is the distributed model that allows students across British Columbia to come together as one cohesive unit. Getting to know your classmates in Semester 1 and, subsequently, having the opportunity to visit the various sites for electives, and events is one of the fantastic benefits the program has to offer. Moreover, with the inception of the FLEX course, UBC has expanded its horizons, offering students the opportunity to effectively take part in research projects, humanitarian efforts and other scholarly endeavours across the province and around the world.
Do you feel the renewed curriculum will influence the kind of doctor you will be? How so?
I feel, in some ways, the renewed curriculum will shape the kind of physician I will be in the future. It has allowed me the opportunity to compare and contrast numerous medical specialties, systems and themes on a week-by-week basis. I have learned the importance of taking an evidence-based approach and considering the whole picture when interacting with patients, teaching students or advocating for health in the community.
I feel the renewed curriculum has provided us with a chance to take a step back and, in the grandest sense, think how we can apply what we’ve been taught to give back to our colleagues, future students and most of all the community.