Increasing the Visibility of Older People in Medical Education – A Process of Mapping and Adapting to the British Geriatrics Society Recommended Curriculum

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Published: Nov 27, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5750/jmer.v4i2.2232
Keywords:
curriculum mapping inclusive medical education medical student patient diversity undergraduate

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Mark Sanders
School of Medicine, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK
Ellen Tullo
School of Medicine, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK
Luke Martin
School of Medicine, University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK

Abstract

Introduction: Medical education may not fully prepare graduates for managing an ageing population with an increasing frequency of multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs). Ongoing curriculum evaluation and adaptation is essential to ensure that medical education meets the needs of this group of patients. We present a case study of practical curriculum adaptation in response to changing patient demographics.
Methods: We mapped the University of Sunderland’s (UoS) medical curriculum against the British Geriatric Society (BGS) Recommended Curriculum to identify gaps. Collaborating with faculty, we adapted the curriculum to enhance the coverage of BGS learning outcomes.
Results: The UoS curriculum fully covered 40.6% of BGS learning outcomes. However, 27.8% were not addressed, and only 19.4% of patient case studies featured patients aged over 65. Adaptations included updated patient case studies, new assessments, and specialised sessions on interprofessional learning and geriatric medical ethics.
Conclusion: This project demonstrates the potential for curriculum mapping to integrate essential learning outcomes for treating older and multimorbid patient populations. Our approach also offers a model for other medical schools aiming to improve the representation of other diverse patient groups in undergraduate education.

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Vol. 4 No. 1 (2024)
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Articles
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