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Office of Educational Affairs College of Medicine
Medical Students Overview

May 12, 2020 CC Meeting Minutes

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE MEETING

May 12, 2020

7:30 to 9:00 AM, HMEB Room 128

Videoconference to Deal Boardroom

 

Attendance: Heather Harrell, M.D. (Chair); Joseph Fantone, M.D.; Paul Gulig, Ph.D.; Carol Diachun, M.D.,VC-Jax; Jim Gorske, M.Ed.; Stacy Beal, M.D.; Marc Zumberg, M.D.; Maria Kelly, M.D.; Lynne E Meyer, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Robert Hatch, M.D. MPH; Saleem Islam, M.D. MPH; Shelley Collins, M.D. FAAP; Julia Close, M.D.; Nina Multak, Ph.D., MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA;  John Aris, Ph.D.; Frank Genuardi, M.D., MPH; James Lynch , M.D.; Lou Ann Cooper Ph.D.; Hannah Norton BA, MS; Matthew Ryan M.D., Ph.D.; Beverly Dede, Ph.D.; Rana Alissa, M.D.; Peter Sayeski Ph.D.; Gretchen Kuntz, M.D. Carolyn Stalvey M.D.; Colleen Kalynych, Ed.D; Dani Brown, M.Ed.; Kathy Green; M. Ed.; Michelot Michel, MS1; Daniel O’Neill, MS4

 

Recording: Kathy Green

Dictation: Aisha Miller

Dr. Harrell called meeting to order at 7:29 a.m. Ended at 8:59 a.m.

 

Motion made to approve April minutes, motion seconded, and approved.

 

  • Pandemic Policies:
  1. Pandemic Expectations: Harrell presented a proposed policy outlining clinical care expectations during the pandemic drafted by Dr. Collins. It applies the same standards to medical students as those for other health care workers at UF. There was no significant discussion. Motion made to approve the New Pandemic Expectations Policy, motion seconded, and approved.
  2. Emergency Preparedness: Harrell presented a proposed addition to the attendance policies related to emergency preparedness that emphasizes student safety as a priority but that students on clinical rotations may be expected to continue with their patient care duties. The addition included information for graduate students. Dr. Dede recommended removing the graduate student section and moving it to the graduate student handbook. Motion made to approve the addition of emergency preparedness to the absence policies with the section pertaining to graduate students removed. The motion was seconded and approved.  

 

  • Pandemic Effect on Curriculum Delivery: Harrell gave a brief update on how the pandemic may affect the curriculum delivery for the upcoming year. There is adequate PPE so students will continue to be involved in direct patient care during phase 2 and 3 of the curriculum. The course and clerkships directors are developing plans for all nonclinical education that adhere to social distancing and other infection control best practices. This will include increased use of distance learning and alternate teaching locations with adequate space for distancing.
  • Alternative to Step 2 CS Graduation Requirement: Harrell explained that rarely students fail the Step 2 CS and when this happens they are required to take the Clinical Skills Refresher course prior to retaking the Step 2 CS exam. UFCOM requires passing Step 2 CK and CS for graduation. If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to take (or retake) Step 2 CS by February, there is a risk they will not have a score prior to graduation. This policy was proposed to allow an alternate certification of a student’s clinical readiness to graduate in the rare situation a passing Step 2 CS score is not available. The proposal was developed in consultation with Dr. Stalvey, who delivers three 4 station CSEs during the Clinical Skills Refresher Course modeled on Step 2 CS. She can assess a student’s progress and likelihood of passing Step 2 CS. This alternate path to meet the clinical skills graduation requirement is not guaranteed. Several committee members were concerned that students could misinterpret this as a way to avoid taking USMLE Step 2 CS. It was reiterated that this alternate pathway was limited to extraordinary circumstances, requires consultation with Dr. Stalvey after successful passage of the Clinical Skills Refresher Course, review of the student’s academic record, and approval by Academic Status Committee. This addition does not replace the policy that USMLE Step 2 CK and CS are graduation requirements. Motion made to approve the Alternative to Step 2 CS Graduation Requirement Policy, motion seconded, and approved.

 

  • New required Course Proposals: Dr. Islam presented proposals for sub-internships in the surgical specialties of neurosurgery, ENT, plastic surgery, and urology. He felt confident that neurosurgery, plastics, and urology already offered clinical rotations that came close to giving students experiences similar to internships in these fields. However, he acknowledged that the submitted syllabi did not reflect the feedback he gave them about what is necessary for a required course. Committee members were concerned that the syllabi lacked reference to the graduation EPAs, needed to clarify the actual patient care responsibilities, and flesh out details of the assessment.

 

The same concerns applied to the ENT syllabus with the additional caveat that the internship is a general surgery internship and specialty itself is more consultative and outpatient based. However, Dr. Islam thought that they would be able to offer an experience that addressed the graduation EPAs and provided significant patient care responsibilities expected of an acting intern.

 

The committee decided to table a vote on these sub-internship proposals and allow Dr. Islam to work with the course directors to address the feedback and resubmit for vote later.

 

Ophthalmology Sub-I Proposal: Dr. Harrell presented the proposed Ophthalmology Sub- I. Committee members were concerned that the nature of the specialty would not allow a significant, longitudinal inpatient experience that would adequately prepare students for their preliminary intern year, which is typically in internal medicine. Committee members recognized the thought and detail put into the proposal that even addressed the EPAs, but viewed the lack of inpatient experiences as a “fatal flaw” and did not think it likely the experience could be revised to meet this requirement. However, few members had read the full proposal so Dr. Harrell did not think it was appropriate to submit it to a vote. She will provide this feedback to Dr. Iyer and allow him the opportunity to revise as resubmit as was given to the other faculty who proposed surgical sub-internships.

 

It was apparent from the discussion surrounding the creation of new sub-internships that there are no formal guidelines about the core aspects required of a sub-internship. Dr. Harrell will appoint a task force to address this.

 

  • New elective course proposals:
  1. Online Dermatology Foundations Elective: Harrell gave brief description of the online Dermatology Elective which uses a robust online course developed by the American Academy of Dermatology and will be supplemented with a project and some online small group meetings. The course is 2 weeks/ 2 credits. Motion made to approve the proposed Online Dermatology Foundations Elective, motion seconded, and approved.
  2. Essential Skills for the Surgical Intern: Islam described this online skills elective that uses online lectures, Zoom labs, and self-studies. It is a 4 week/ 4 credit elective. Motion made to approved the proposed Essential Skills for the Surgical Intern Elective, motion seconded, and approved.

 

  • Nutrition Elective Credit: Harrell explained that due to the pandemic, there was a concern students pulled form clinical electives may be at risk of not having enough credits. Nutrition is one of the few on-line elective offered prior to the pandemic and is a series of 12 modules. Historically students could take a 2 credit (4 module) or 4 credit (8 module) version of the course. During the emergency, Drs. Novak, Duff, and Ryan agreed that students could receive up to 6 credits if they completed all 12 modules. This was not intended to be an ongoing change unless reviewed and approved by the curriculum committee. Dr. Beal, Rhoton-Vlasak, and Carter agreed to review the elective and make recommendations whether a 6 credit option was appropriate moving forward. None recommended 6 credits, Dr. Beal suggested 4 credits for all the modules and Dr. Carter suggested 2 credits. Dr. Rhoton-Vlasak emphasized the importance of including nutrition in the curriculum which was echoed by committee members. There was no motion to increase the credits allowed for the online nutrition course. Based on the discussion Dr. Harrell will consider forming a task force to look at opportunities to enrich the 4th year nutrition offerings.
  • Geriatrics Update: Harrell explained that the Geriatrics syllabus was not ready for discussion.  Discussion tabled.
  • Updates: Harrell provided reminders that Neurology is moving to 3rd year and Geriatrics will move from 4th year to 3rd year now will be part of the Family Medicine Clerkship. This year there will be no 4th year Neurology other than for those students who need to make up a week.
  • Academic Support Program Committee: Aris gave a brief update on the study content of the ASP which would be based on modules and an individual learning plan (ILP) approach to create a flexible curriculum plan for a summer course. The ASP is available to all students and the Academic Status Committee will identify students who will be required to enroll in the summer course. Students will follow steps for preparing an individual learning plan, meet with Dr. Dede and Jim Gorske, make menu choices will be based on year 1 reflection material, carry out individual learning plan including weekly meetings, quizzes, and reviews of study contents and quizzes.

Next Meeting: June 09, 2020 7:30-9:00

HMEB Rm 128, Dean’s Conference Room with Zoom Videoconference

 

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