A pilot test or pilot program is a small-scale, short-term effort designed to provide data about the feasibility of the program before it is implemented on a large scale--in a sense, an educational simulation. Pilot tests of this kind are surprisingly uncommon in medical school curricula. The College of Human Medicine did its first pilot test of the Shared Discovery Curriculum in the summer of 2013, putting 21 intrepid students (volunteers!) through a variety of teaching methods, assessments and educational experiences over seven weeks (click here). The data obtained from this pilot test was crucial in informing the development of the curriculum as it is now conceived.

As we prepare for the fall launch of the Shared Discovery Curriculum with a full cohort of 190 students, we have already organized three pilot tests this month. Once again we have a group of volunteer students who are actively participating and providing data to refine our planning. The first two of these two-hour sessions focused on the modified problem-based learning format that will be used in the learning society sessions. The first pilot test was organized around joint pain and the second around abdominal pain. The content for both sessions was outlined in the Chief Complaints and Concerns (C3) documents (click here), which are the core curriculum documents for the Shared Discovery Curriculum. The most recent pilot test explored early clinical skills instruction.

Clinical faculty and students participating in the modified PBL session for joint pain

The pilot tests give faculty a chance to consider how to best achieve the learning objectives, the pre-session learning resources needed by students and how to structure the session to engage first year students--who have a limited background in necessary science--in inquiry-based educational approaches. The pilot test also provides us with time to reflect on the faculty needs related to preparation time for these sessions and resources for faculty preparation as well as the group process skills needed by faculty to achieve the learning goals.

Clinical and Basic Science faculty participating with pilot students in the modified abdominal pain PBL session

We continue to plan additional pilot tests of various components of the curriculum including small group teaching and flipped classroom methods, team-based learning, simulations, coaching, debriefing of early clinical experiences and assessments. Not only are these pilot experiences helping to ensure the success of the curriculum going forward, they are providing opportunities for faculty development in an ongoing fashion as faculty are able to practice teaching methods that are new for many in the College.

To our knowledge, CHM has not conducted a comprehensive review of SPC's actions nor the subsequent performance or path of students who have a hearing before the SPC. In 2015, OMERAD reviewed SPC decisions and students affected by those decisions.

Suspensions Pending Dismissal: A Ten-Year Summary 2003-2013

During this period there were 149 suspension actions by SPC affecting 111 students. While the matriculating class doubled since 2003, suspensions as a percent of class size decreased during the 10 years.

 

Suspensions by Admission Year

 
Who are the students who come before SPC?

 

Compared to their matriculating class cohort, suspended students:

• Had lower undergrad science GPA
• Had lower MCAT Scores
• Were older