Talking Points: Incorporating Team Learning Strategies into Microscopic Anatomy Curriculum

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Talking Points Incorporating Team Learning
Strategies into Microscopic Anatomy Curriculum

• Yulia Krotova Khan
• Elena J. Jelsing
• Weronika M. Zielinska
• Wojciech Pawlina
• Stephen W. Carmichael
• Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
• Rochester MN

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New Curriculum at Mayo Medical School

• Objectives
• Promote integration of basic and clinical
  sciences
• Establish focus on the patient
• Facilitate the longitudinal development of
  competencies
• Reduce curricular density
• Increase flexibility
• Introduce more active learning components

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Active Learning

• More engaging and interactive
• More suitable for adult learners who prefer
  task/problem centered approaches
• Challenging to incorporate into material rich
  courses such as microscopic anatomy
• Several strategies have been developed to
  incorporate active learning into the curriculum

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Ways to Incorporate Active Learning into Medical
School Curriculum

• Small Groups
• Problem/case based learning
• Several Instructors
• Several classrooms
• Low attendance
• Variable student preparation and participation
• Significant time spent covering basic material

• Team-Based Learning
• One instructor/core of instructors
• One classroom
• Accountability to peers increases class
  attendance and preparation
• More engaged instructors
• Unfamiliarity with the method
• Need to restructure entire existing curriculum

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Microscopic Anatomy at Mayo Clinic College of
Medicine

• 6 week long integrated course with Cell Biology
  and Genetics
• Briefing Sessions instead traditional lectures
• Laboratory sessions utilizing Virtual Microscopy
• Student-Lead presentations of organ systems
• Daily feedback on students performance provided
  by Audience Response System
• Final computer-based examination
• Role of Teaching Assistants (Yr III Medical
  Students)

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Talking Points New Alternative

• Series of subject related basic science and
  clinical problems Talking Points were
  introduced for each laboratory session (5-7
  problems)
• At the beginning of each laboratory session ad
  hoc formed teams of students (7-8 students/team)
  were provided with Talking Points
• Students were encouraged to discuss these during
  laboratory sessions
• At the end of each laboratory session a
  spokesperson from each team was asked to share
  groups answer with entire class

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Example of Talking Points
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Medical Students Perspective

• Allow students to reflect on important concepts
• Provide clinical correlation to Microscopic
  Anatomy material
• Promoted interactions between group members
• Learn to present findings to entire class in
  concise and understandable fashion
• Enjoyable exercise to promote team-learning

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Teaching Assistant Perspective

• Great opportunity to develop question writing
  skills
• Clarification of difficult concepts using
  questions that are likely to promote discussion
• Students were more engaged and asked question to
  clarify difficult concepts
• Opportunity to emphasize clinically important
  material

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Advantages of Talking Points

• Provide active learning component to Microscopic
  Anatomy curriculum
• Stimulate discussion within the team
• Encourage peer-teaching
• Foster teamwork and cooperation
• Clarify difficult and confusing concepts
• Improve test taking skills
• Can be incorporated in various courses without
  major changes to an existing curriculum