CC Meeting Minutes 7.13.21

7:30 to 9:00 a.m., in-person and via Zoom

Attendance: Heather Harrell (Chair), Ashwin Akki, Carol Diachun, Rob Hatch, Saleem Islam, Maria Kelly, Steve Munger, Bob Seifert, Elisa Sottile, Meredith Thompson, Ashleigh Wright, Dani Brown, Carolyn Carter, Julia Close, Beverly Dede, Jeffrey Dela Cruz, Mary Edwards, Joseph Fantone, Frank Genuardi, Chris Giordano, Jim Gorske, Kathy Green, Jennifer Hamilton, Colleen Kalynch, James Lynch, Nina Multak, Hannah Norton, Maureen Novak, Jessica McQuerry, Velyn Wu.

Recording: Renata Dolbier

Dr. Harrell called the meeting to order at 7:30 a.m.

1. New members welcomed. 
2. A motion was made to approve the Consent Agenda, seconded, and approved. 
3. Ortho Sub-I Proposal:
   Jennifer McQuerry presented a brief summary on the Orthopaedic Surgery MS4 Sub-I course for 4^th year medical students. Material was sent to committee prior to this meeting. Dr. McQuerry answered questions and addressed concerns. A motion was made to approve the proposal, seconded and approved. 
4. Presentations: Task Force
   1. Best Teaching and Learning Practices – (Dr. Islam & Jim Gorske)

Mr. Gorske and Dr. Islam presented the findings from the task force committee. They shared highlights from their review of best teaching methods, which emphasize active learning. They presented an overview of our current phase 1 teaching methods, which are (primarily lectures and compared our phase 1 curriculum to other institutions). Recommendations were divided into 4 areas which include:

Best Teaching Practices

• Restructure/reframe the lecture.
  • Decrease lecture length (20 – 25 minutes).
  • Increase active learning opportunities.
  • Vary instructional methodologies.
• Reduce variability between lectures, courses, and phases.
• Integrate spaced learning and interleaving.
• Provide institutional support for incorporating teaching practices that promote the “growth mindset” perspective.
  • On-going, constructive feedback.
  • Support for metacognitive growth.

Benchmarking

• Shorten Phase 1 to 1.5 years. (Phase 1 is 17 months class time currently)

Implementation

• Map of Curricular Content.
• Curricular oversite with FTE assigned individual(s).
• Team-Based Learning that incorporated and essential to the curriculum, with structured objectives.
• Improve linkage between Courses/ICM/CLG and other small group learning.
• Creation of a feedback loop for instructors to help with both consistency and adoption of best practices.

Assessment

• Incorporation of assessment tools into spaced learning.
• Teaching the teachers with regular retreats and sharing of best practices.
• Creation of a curriculum czar position.

1. Biochemistry – (Dr. Heather Harrell)
   Dr. Harrell shared a brief report on the biochemistry taskforce. Recommendations include:
   1. Survey students as part of phase 1 assessments about the utility of supplemental study material.
   2. Appoint a biochemistry discipline director.
      1. Develop learning outcomes (adapt Aquifer Sciences core concepts).
      2. Facilitate integrations of biochemistry concepts into phase 2 and 3 clinical teaching.

• Engage an interest group to assess the degree of variability in incoming students’ undergraduate biochemistry courses.

Dr. Aris has agreed to fulfill the role as discipline director.

5. LCME Updates: (Dr. Fantone)
   Fantone provided updates on LCME. They are still in process of putting committees together and building the database. Focuses are on:
   1. Timeliness of grades.
   2. Effectiveness of diversity initiatives, looking at admissions, faculty recruitment, and retention.
   3. Pipeline programs and outcomes of those.
6. Additional Updates:
   We are continuing to move forward with development and implementation of the residency training program with The Villages Health. We are still a couple of years off before implementation.

1. Shadowing experience in the clinical environment and external rotations are on hold right now due to new Covid variant.