ITEACH (Integrating Transdisciplinary Education at Cornell Hunter): This is a joint venture between WCMC and Hunter College Schools of Nursing, Social Work and Public Health. Currently in the planning stage, with underwriting from a grant by the Josiah Macy Foundation, the goal of the program is to immerse medical students in inter-professional training experiences in community centers beginning in year one of medical school. The plan is to use innovative pedagogic techniques that include team training and simulation. Programmatic elements are likely to involve the current courses of MPS I and MPS II and the Primary Care Clerkship. A pilot program is planned for the academic year 2011-2012. Contact person: Dr. Carol Storey-Johnson.

Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation Curriculum in Metabolic Disease: This curriculum in metabolic disease is currently in the planning phase. It is conceived as an integrated curriculum across four years of medical school to allow students to understand the interactions between lipids, metabolism and disease; to learn the diagnostic and risk stratification strategies for obesity, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, as well as their interaction with cardiovascular disease; to learn the range of lifestyle and medication treatment strategies for obesity, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome; to be familiar with the epidemiologic rise in obesity and metabolic disease; and to participate in community and public health efforts aimed at obesity and metabolic disease. Contact person: Dr. William Borden

Curriculum in Chronic Illness: This curriculum, which is a joint venture with faculty at the Hospital for Special Surgery, is currently in the planning phase. It is conceived as an integrated four-year curriculum for medical students, but will also include other learners such as residents, fellows, attendings, and community physicians. The curriculum is organized around diagnosis, initial treatment, social issues, long-term management, financing of chronic care and issues involved in confronting disability and death. Disorders under consideration for inclusion are rheumatic illness, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases, genetic disorders, and chronic lung disease.

Curricular Reform at WCMC: Curricular reform is underway at WCMC following our preparation for the LCME visit and the recommendations of LCME self-study committees. The Carnegie Foundation Report on Medical Education, released in May 2010, is expected to have a major influence on curricular reform in American medical schools http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/medical-education. WCMC curricular reform will proceed through a variety of mechanisms that include the Medical Educational Council and other standing curriculum committees, special task forces of faculty and students, and the annual curriculum retreat.

Curricular reform should proceed with an open mind for fresh ideas, with a willingness to explore new curricular content, new ways to organize the curricular structure, novel pedagogies, improved quality of teaching, and alternative ways of assessing competence. All aspects of the curriculum should be “on the table.” To date, some of the major areas that are under discussion stemming from the LCME self-study recommendations include:

1. Revision of Curricular Structure, Content and Sequencing
   1. revising lengths of basic science courses and clerkships and consolidating some courses
   2. bringing more clinical relevance to basic sciences and more basic science to clinical clerkships
   3. strengthening longitudinal care relationships in the educational program in learning environments, community-based patient care settings, and student-faculty relationships
   4. providing additional time for students pursuing scholarly pursuits
   5. expanding interdisciplinary curricular content in areas of global health, health care quality improvement, patient safety, clinical reasoning, procedural skills, biomedical informatics and reflective humanistic practice
   6. providing more opportunities for students to interact with and learn from allied health care professionals (e.g., physical therapists, social workers, nurses and nurse practitioners, physician assistants and pharmacists)
   7. reviewing the quality of elective offerings


2. Introduction of New Learning Methods (New Pedagogy)
   1. piloting more computer-assisted instruction (e-learning modules, virtual patients, simulation of surgery, enhanced virtual microscopy) including on-line collaborative learning exercises
   2. modifying PBL and journal club and developing new case-based or team-based learning
   3. developing longitudinal learning teams of students and faculty (“learning cells”) with assessment based on team performance
   4. piloting additional self-directed learning methods in the clinical years with a reduction in formal didactic sessions


3. New Curricular Programs and Initiatives
   1. developing integrated longitudinal curriculum in metabolic diseases, nutrition and obesity, and in caring for patients with chronic illness
   2. providing students with longitudinal patient care experience (i.e., students follow a panel of patients throughout four years in inpatient, ambulatory and/or home visit settings)
   3. developing a formalized program of dedicated educational scholars who would develop, pilot and assess new curricular activities
   4. developing areas of concentration with didactic, research and/or service components in areas of faculty excellence, e.g., global health, cognitive neuroscience, translational medicine, genetic medicine, bioinformatics, system biology, geriatrics, musculoskeletal medicine (HSS), oncology (MSKCC), cultural aspects of medicine, public health policy, ethics, complementary/alternative medicine, and humanities in medicine


4. New Assessment Methodologies
   1. revising the current grading system in basic sciences to enhance competency-based and narrative-based assessment
   2. improving the methods of evaluating clinical competencies especially in third year clerkships
   3. enhancing academic advising including creation of an advisory dean system
   4. developing assessments that allow students to proceed through the curriculum at different paces once competency is achieved


5. Enhanced Faculty Development Programs