Dean Flier announced that the meeting would focus on the Joint Committee on the Status of Women (JCSW) and the redesign of the medical education curriculum. He said that Yasmin Mashhoon, faculty co-chair of the JCSW, would present the Committee’s annual report. Then, Dean Hundert would discuss the redesign of the medical education curriculum along with a panel of faculty leaders deeply involved in the redesign process.
Dean Flier introduced Yasmin Mashhoon.
Mashhoon briefly reviewed the history of the JCSW, which was established in 1973 as a standing committee of the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine to represent faculty, fellows, residents, post docs, students and staff of Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and affiliated hospitals and institutions. She discussed the mission of the JCSW—to facilitate and enhance the contribution of women faculty and staff by expanding and enhancing opportunities for leadership and advancement. The JCSW was founded to identify and document obstacles, develop educational programs and networking events, and make recommendations to the Dean and relevant HMS leaders to address areas for improvement. Established in 2007, the JCSW also sponsors the Joseph B. Martin Dean’s Leadership Awards for the Advancement of Women Faculty and Staff.
Mashhoon spoke about JCSW membership and noted that eligibility is open to HMS/HSDM faculty, staff, research and clinical fellows and students and that application is by self-nomination. She displayed a breakdown of membership by institution and by role.
Mashhoon reported that the current JCSW Strategic Plan extends through 2016, and a subcommittee has been formed to develop the next five-year plan. She also gave updates for the JCSW taskforce and subcommittees before discussing the ongoing conversation underway to consider changing the name of the JCSW to make it more inclusive of the HMS community. Mashhoon then asked for feedback concerning the JCSW name. A general discussion followed her remarks.
Dean Flier then introduced Dean Hundert.
Dean Hundert introduced the panel—Richard Schwartzstein, Chair, Pathways Curriculum Design Steering Committee; Melanie Hoenig, Co-Chair, Pathways Curriculum Design Steering Committee; Randall King, Leader, Foundations Design Group; Fidencio Saldana, Co- Leader, Practice of Medicine Design Group; and Meredith Atkins, Director, Principal Clinical Experience, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Hundert made opening remarks about the Pathways Curriculum Design and outlined the guiding principles behind it—high aspirations, practical flexibility and continuous improvement. He stated that the process is currently in the design phase and that a structural and pedagogical curriculum reform will be launched in August. The reform was planned to be a developmentally appropriate reorganization of the curriculum with a goal to integrate basic science and clinical across the four years.
Hundert discussed the principles of pedagogy, which are meant to prepare the students for clerkships and emphasize students’ needs. This has included preparation, personal/team accountability for self-directed learning, classroom interactivity (problem solving/analysis, application), reflection, relevance, and, critical thinking.
He said that the innovative, new model for learning clinical skills starting from week one provides optimal preparation for the principle clinical experience and a rigorous, individually tailored post-clerkship curriculum would have an enhanced advising system for customized pathways.
Next, Hundert introduced the new Pathways Curriculum map and asked each panelist to say a few words concerning faculty attitudes towards changing the curriculum, the pieces of each phase, clinical skills and the general theme of exposing students to the right information at the right time.
A general discussion followed, and then Dean Flier adjourned the meeting.
