The Changing Landscape of Medical Neuroscience Education: From Integrating Modules in the Brain to the Curriculum

The explosive growth in the neurosciences has dictated divergent paths in graduate and medical education of the nervous system. Course design at many medical schools remains largely driven by departmental teaching missions to impart scientific knowledge and research advances. Yet, at schools with newly mandated integrated curriculums, modules have been developed requiring close partnership between basic and clinical faculty with shared responsibility in training medical students in both scientific and clinical knowledge. The departmental‐based neuroanatomy or neuroscience course, single or team‐taught primarily by basic scientists, will be examined for its multi‐disciplinary merit and limited clinical relevance. The organ‐ or theme‐based brain and behavior module that requires collaborative efforts of both basic scientists and clinicians will also be examined for its merit in integrating foundational knowledge directly with clerkship expectancies, as well as integrating vertically across the medical curriculum The organizational principles governing their design along syllabus content, learning environment (PBL, lecture, lab) position in curriculum, time allocation, educational resources, and assessment will be discussed. I will share the unique opportunity for comparison of different course designs across state‐wide regional campuses of the Indian University School of Medicine. Subsequent symposium speakers will showcase their integrated modules to provide direction and practical insights to those at the doorstep of mandated curriculum revision, or those seeking greater course integration through wider scope of faculty participation in preparation for the impending changes in standardized assessment.