Under the framework of the IMPACT MED to support 5 UMPs in their curriculum reform, from March 26-30, 2018, HAIVN/HMS invited Prof. Andrew Lichtman. M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Pathways Curriculum Preclinical Course Director/Steering Committee Member, Harvard Medical School to provide technical assistance to core groups of faculty of the universities engaging in the project. The faculty development will enable the faculty to continue the development of the new competency based and integrated curriculum at UMPs. To do so, from March 26-28, 2018, HAIVN collaborated with Hai phong UMP to organize the 3rd International Workshop on Curriculum Reform. Acting as resource persons, Prof. Andrew Lichtman and Dr. Lisa Cosimi, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Director of HAIVN facilitated the Curriculum Reform Workshop focusing on Developing lectures and activities for Heads/Deputy Heads of the Modules of pre-clinical years (Y1-Y3) at 4 UMPs (Hue, Thai Nguyen, Hai Phong and Thai Binh). This 2.5 day workshop was organized built upon the previous “foundations” workshops where participants learned about backwards course design, creating SMART learning objectives and developing an assessment framework. At this workshop, they were trained to create curriculum schedules for lectures and writing cases to maximize integration and flow; practice creating interactive clinical cases aligned with module objectives and learning objectives. More than 80 participants from 4 UMPs in the project and nursing and dental departments or medical schools (who are also doing the reform of their curriculum) also benefited this activity.
Subsequent to this workshop, Prof. Andrew Litchman also provided on-site technical assistance on advanced knowledge of pedagogical strategies and develop skills to engage students in active learning by using classroom activities that get students to participate and use their knowledge to faculty of HUMP for pre-clinical faculty on presentation skills, active teaching, and writing MCQs in order to support them to review and finalize Y3 curriculum at HUMP. It has been planned that Y3 curricula will be completed soon and will be taught in the academic year 2018-2019. During the mission at HUMP, Prof. Andrew Lichtman conducted a series of meetings with faculty who are teaching the new curriculum for Y1/Y2 to hear their comments on the new curriculum. He also met with students who are benefiting from the new curriculum to discuss and explore the potential bottlenecks or challenges to find ways to address. At the end of his mission with HUMP, he met and discussed the findings with and advised the leadership of HUMP how to further improve the new curriculum as part of the school’s efforts in continuous improvement.
