A CREATIVE approach to designing a contemporary medical curriculum.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. In medical education, Outcome-based Education (OBE) is facing many challenges due to the rapid proliferation in biomedical sciences; technology-enhanced learning; globalization of health system, and the availability of various pedagogical techniques. A steady stream of evidence-based developments challenges those who are responsible for sustaining and improving their medical curricula. Curriculum reform is a dynamic process and there is no explicit approach that can serve as a guide for a curriculum reviewer while making amendments in the OBE integrated curriculum. This study took place in a medical college in Saudi Arabia and it highlights the key components to be considered while reviewing the Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) course specifications and curriculum. It suggests the importance of course reports as the main driving force for curriculum reforms. Delineating major and minor changes in the curriculum and frequency of amendments in course specifications also remains a questionable task and requires established institutional guidelines. Furthermore, based on practical experience in the periodic curriculum review process, the authors suggest some best practice. We present a "CREATIVE" way forward which we have found invaluable, both for curriculum developers and for engaging with our stakeholders. This mnemonic spells out the key factors to consider while revisiting the curriculum from various angles. These factors are: Course Report recommendations, Evaluation tools (internal and external), Alignment of pedagogical strategies with assessment, Technology, Innovation, Variations in the learning environment, and Establishment of institutional guidelines. Application of these fundamental elements allowed us the development of a curriculum that meets the standards for international accreditation and helped the institution to form a cohesive team of educationalists.

Outcome-based education: evaluation, implementation and faculty development.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Developments in Outcome-based education (OBE) and innovative shifts in its pedagogical approaches have reshaped the learning environment of curricula at medical schools. This instructional design has gained popularity due to its authenticity and systematic approach. However, this needs organized supervision and faculty training in order to achieve the desired goals for the program. Aim: This article examines the evaluation of OBE at a private medical school in Saudi Arabia. It describes the curriculum review process and the characteristics of the curriculum reviewers involved. It evaluates the curriculum using Harden's OBE implementation inventory. OBE reviewers' satisfaction about OBE implementation was evaluated using the OBE inventory. Results: This analysis shows our institutional profile to be similar to the 'transition to beavers' symbol in Harden's representation. At the program level, the study identifies gaps and suggests suitable recommendations to enhance the enactment of OBE. Conclusion: We strongly encourage medical educators to apply the nine components of the OBE implementation inventory to evaluate their level of implementation of OBE. To further build up this model, the authors propose a mnemonic "ADAPTIVE Species" as an instructional prompt to develop these qualities in medical faculty. "ADAPTIVE Species" stands for Assertive, Developer, Assessors, Prime-movers, Transparent, Innovators, Vigilant, Evaluators, and Selectors.