Discussion Items

1. Announcements

Dr. Getto welcomed the group together for the first joint meeting of the new Educational Policy Council and Curriculum 2000 Steering Committee.

Committee members then introduced themselves.

2. Charge for Educational Policy Council

Dr. Getto explained that the Steering Committee has been meeting for nearly two years to develop and implement the curriculum developed by the Curriculum 2000 Task Force chaired by Dr. Wade and implemented by the Curriculum 2000 Steering Committee and Curriculum Directors. The EPC will now assume oversight of the curriculum that has been developed over the past four years. The curriculum has developed much interest and activity and is one of the more vital curricula in the country. The EPC is charged with shepherding the curriculum through the remainder of its first year, assessing it, and developing policies to shape the curriculum for future years. The curriculum, as implemented, is a mixture of good ideas, good principles, and theory. The goal of the EPC should be to develop policies that will help the curriculum to continue to develop as a dynamic, living organism that can adjust to the constantly-changing health care field.

Dr. Folse added that the faculty have developed many new and innovative initiatives and should be congratulated for their efforts to date and encouraged to continue their efforts.

3. Educational Policy Council/Steering Committee Transition Plan

The November and December meetings are planned as transitional sessions in which the Steering Committee can pass oversight of the curriculum to the EPC.

4. Overview of Curriculum Implementation Process

Dr. Wade reported that Year 1 began with a three-week Doctoring Introduction, which continues as a streamer throughout the four years. At the end of the three curriculum segments (Cardiovascular/Respiratory/Renal, Sensorimotor Systems and Behavior, and Endocrine/Reproduction/Gastrointestinal), students have a 12-week period to participate in a Mentored Professional Enrichment Project that allows them to participate in research projects with faculty in Carbondale and Springfield. The three curriculum segments are small-group, case-based experiences. Detailed information about the curriculum is available at www.som.siu.edu/mrc password=Lindegren (case sensitive).

Dr. Borgia reported that Year 2 has much in common and many distinguishing features from Year 1. There are six rotating segments in Year 2 (Circulation, Infection, Medicine and Behavior, Neoplasia, Neuromuscular, and Population Health). The curriculum continues as a small-group, case-based experience, with students meeting twice per week, going through one to one-and-a-half cases per week. Each week, students also participate in a four-hour Wednesday morning Basic Science Resource Session, and in Doctoring Streamer activities. Logistical issues, which caused some confusion during Rotation 1, have been less evident in Rotation 2. Students have had questions regarding the performance-based assessment process, which will be explained in meetings this week.

Dr. Kovach reported that Year 3 is in transition. There were two main charges: 1) integrate among departments and 2) integrate basic sciences. Only the multidisciplinary Family and Community Medicine/Psychiatry/Neurology Clerkship was able to develop an integrated experience. The Pediatrics/Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship was minimally successful. The Medicine and Surgery Clerkship did not come together as planned. Because of those problems, as well as potential remediation problems due to the longer clerkships, which created a negative impact on graduation dates, the concept of multidisciplinary clerkships no longer appears viable. Departments will, however, continue to develop integrated activities. Basic Science Integrative efforts continue and appear to be successful. The current issue is the calendar for the next academic year, which is based on the concept of going back to individual clerkships, but with Neurology included in the third year, instead of the fourth, as it was prior to C2000.

Dr. Lower reported that Year 4 has had two major changes: 1) a requirement for a four-week intensive clinical experience (one of six or seven sub-internships), and 2) an increase in the availability and requirement for Basic Science electives. The Year 4 Curriculum Coordinating Committee is in the process of recruiting additional basic science electives, developing faculty development opportunities, and revising the advisor system for Year 4.

Dr. Barnhart reported that the four-year Doctoring Streamer is a new initiative, based on the former Introduction to Clinical Medicine, but integrating additional activities such as Physicians Attitudes and Conduct and Medical Humanities. Initial efforts have been focused on Years 1 and 2, with a whole new approach to the way these issues are handled in the curriculum. The priority for the Doctoring Committee for the coming year will be working on Years 3 and 4 as the new schedule for Year 3 is developed.

5. Educational Policy Council Chair

Dr. Getto suggested that the EPC should decide how to elect the chair and vice-chair and how and when to put an operating paper together, since the Administrative Oversight Design Group Report did not include detail in those areas, but simply specified that the Council should elect its own chair and stated that all voting members are eligible to serve as chair. It was suggested that the elected and appointed members should be the only members eligible for election as means of dealing with the philosophical issue that the curriculum should be administered by the faculty, and EPC members who have administrative appointments are not considered “faculty” by the faculty. It was pointed out that, since all voting members are eligible, as outlined in the Administrative Oversight Report, any change to that policy would require a motion and vote by the EPC.

It was noted that the Steering Committee has been functioning with three-hour meetings every two weeks, with additional meetings by year and segment. As the Steering Committee phases out, the EPC will have great responsibility, with subcommittees and task forces keeping issues moving. The Chair of the EPC must understand the curriculum and be willing to devote the time and effort necessary to provide appropriate oversight.

Dr. Lower made a motion, seconded by David Resch, that all nominations for EPC Chair be sent to Terri Cameron, that she check with nominees, and provide a ballot for the next meeting, and that the vote be taken at the next meeting. A friendly amendment was proposed and accepted that a deadline of November 20 be established. The motion passed with 14 in favor, one opposed, and one abstaining.

6. Operating Paper

After a short discussion, it was decided that Terri Cameron should distribute the EPC section of the Administrative Oversight Report prior to the next meeting and develop an operating paper based on the Administrative Oversight Report for review at the next meeting.

7. Educational Value Unit Task Force

Dr. Resch explained that the former Educational Policy Committee had developed an Educational Value Unit (EVU) Task Force, with David Steward as Chair. The report has been submitted and needs to be reviewed by the EPC. This issue will be placed on the December agenda and be distributed to Council members in advance.

8. Other Business

It was suggested that the Steering Committee did not need to hold its regularly-scheduled meeting in November or meet with the EPC again in December. The consensus was that there is much that needs to be relayed from the Steering Committee to the EPC and that both meetings are necessary. The Steering Committee will spend its last meeting developing a list of items that require action for review by the EPC and present it to the EPC at the December 11 joint meeting of the two groups.

9. Next Educational Policy Council Meeting: Monday, December 11, 2000, 1:30 to 3 pm