gms | German Medical Science

Background and aim: In a traditional approach to medical education, problems about the coverage of skills areas do not arise seriously in any theoretical way. Implementation of a non-linear curriculum for training in advanced clinical skills represents an unmet need in most Romanian medical faculties. The eMediqual project (European level quality and competency in medical education and educational programs management) attempted to establish an interdisciplinary program to teach and to assess clinical skills.

Methods: Teaching objectives and lesson formats were developed in a multistep process in order to ensure an early and consistent exposure of students to core competencies. A teaching program for cardiovascular pathology was structured and continuous lecturer trainings were established. Several clinical disciplines co-operated in order to integrate the practical skills training into the pre-existing medical curriculum.

Results: We applied a top-down approach for the instructional design. The goal was identified then broken down into smaller steps. The teacher’s role was crucial in structuring the nonlinear curriculum. It also involved the ability to respond to students’ interests as they arise and to provide deeper acknowledgement of the immediate learning situation. The next step will be field-testing with groups of students.

Discussion and conclusions: Introducing an interdisciplinary cardiovascular training and a corresponding practical skills development in a medical curriculum is feasible. Staff development is a key influence on the effectiveness of this type of teaching for students. Teaching in a clinical context and a multidisciplinary approach seem to be important factors for ensuring practical relevance.

These data are part of the POSDRU project no 86/1.2/S/63815 EMEDIQUAL from the FSE-POSDRU 2007-2013.