Hot Topics in EducationHot Topics in EducationInnovative Curricula:Innovative Curricula:

Impact on Testing SchedulesImpact on Testing Schedules

Rob Scott D.C., Ph.D.Rob Scott D.C., Ph.D.Dean, Life College of ChiropracticDean, Life College of Chiropractic

Chair, ACC/CAOsChair, ACC/CAOs

Educational Challenges:Educational Challenges: Health care education is under significant Health care education is under significant

pressures to improve quality – erosion of pressures to improve quality – erosion of clinical environment; changes in clinical environment; changes in organization of health care; change’s in organization of health care; change’s in societies expectations of health care.societies expectations of health care.

1.1. Financial constraintsFinancial constraints

2.2. Need to incorporate new emergent domains Need to incorporate new emergent domains of knowledge to produce more competent of knowledge to produce more competent clinician (or broadened scope).clinician (or broadened scope).

3.3. How? How?

OpportunitiesOpportunities:: Develop education that produces Develop education that produces

chiropractors who are patient-centered, chiropractors who are patient-centered, emphasize evidence-based practice, utilize emphasize evidence-based practice, utilize quality improvements approaches and quality improvements approaches and informatics.informatics.

Pedagogy – case-based, problem-based, Pedagogy – case-based, problem-based, technology-based, clinically integrative technology-based, clinically integrative approaches etc. to instruction. approaches etc. to instruction.

Medical education’s attempt at reform of Medical education’s attempt at reform of these issues have consisted of curricular these issues have consisted of curricular compression of 1compression of 1stst and 2 and 2ndnd year content. year content.

““Few medical schools have attempted Few medical schools have attempted fundamental changes in their clinical fundamental changes in their clinical curricula”. curricula”. Teaching Clinical Skills. Washington D.C.: Association of Teaching Clinical Skills. Washington D.C.: Association of

American Medical Colleges 2004.American Medical Colleges 2004.

CAO’s have discussed issues related to CAO’s have discussed issues related to integrative curricula that incorporates both integrative curricula that incorporates both basic science and clinical education in basic science and clinical education in parallel alignment beginning in first year.parallel alignment beginning in first year.

Creates opportunities to incorporate Creates opportunities to incorporate different pedagogies throughout the different pedagogies throughout the learning experience of the student.learning experience of the student.

Would require “decompressing” the basic Would require “decompressing” the basic science curriculum (science curriculum (does notdoes not mean mean eliminating). eliminating).

Impact of Testing Schedules:Impact of Testing Schedules: Acknowledgement of the importance of Acknowledgement of the importance of

regulating authoritiesregulating authorities..

1.1. Board Format (Part 1 and 2) dictate timing of Board Format (Part 1 and 2) dictate timing of instruction content examined on the board.instruction content examined on the board.

2.2. Prescriptive nature of State Boards focusing Prescriptive nature of State Boards focusing on hours of specific course content as on hours of specific course content as opposed to outcome or competency. opposed to outcome or competency. Relationship between hours of study and Relationship between hours of study and competency? competency?

Strategies to Allow Innovation:Strategies to Allow Innovation: Challenges are deeply entrenched in the Challenges are deeply entrenched in the

tradition and culture of our institutions and tradition and culture of our institutions and organizations that compose the chiropractic organizations that compose the chiropractic education system.education system.

Institutions, associations, specialty boards, Institutions, associations, specialty boards, accrediting bodies, and licensing authorities accrediting bodies, and licensing authorities will have to reach agreement on approach will have to reach agreement on approach needed to allow for educational reform. needed to allow for educational reform.

Specifically:Specifically: NBCE & FCLB begin discussion with NBCE & FCLB begin discussion with

schools regarding impact of curricular reform schools regarding impact of curricular reform on exam sequencing and timing.on exam sequencing and timing.

Issues:Issues:

1.1. Consider impact of refocusing Consider impact of refocusing licensure/boards from content to licensure/boards from content to competency.competency.

2.2. Impact on exam validity, reliability and Impact on exam validity, reliability and ensuring public safety.ensuring public safety.