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Teaching Histology in Integrated Curricula: Challenges and Opportunities
Author(s) -
Amerongen Helen
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.191.2
Subject(s) - scope (computer science) , curriculum , variety (cybernetics) , context (archaeology) , computer science , medical education , psychology , medicine , pedagogy , artificial intelligence , paleontology , biology , programming language
Approximately half of AAMC medical schools now teach histology as part of an integrated program in which individual basic science disciplines have no distinct identity. Challenges of this approach include that histology content can be too scattered and too superficial to support mastery, and the true integration rather than simple juxtaposition that is required is time consuming and therefore costly. Also, because it is a difficult but fractional part of their work, students can choose to selectively ignore histology and still pass exams. Opportunities arising out of the integrative approach include that the necessary collaboration of faculty across discipline boundaries can foster collaboration in other arenas such as research. In addition, melding histology with bordering disciplines of anatomy, physiology and pathology gives tremendous scope for building a clinically‐relevant context that is more motivating for students and may also be more effective in supporting transfer of knowledge to clinical settings. Moreover, interdisciplinary content is ideally suited for case‐based student‐centered learning formats including problem‐based learning, team‐based learning, audience participation via response systems, online case study, etc. Specific examples illustrating these challenges and opportunities including incorporation of histology into a variety of learning formats will be presented.