Moving Beyond Teaching Skill Curriculum: Development of a Distinction in Medical Education Track

Background

Most postgraduate medical education tracks are faculty-led and emphasise teaching skills. A peer-to-peer medical education track focused on curriculum development and scholarship is notably underrepresented in the literature, especially within graduate medical education.

To address these gaps, a 2-year Distinction in Medical Education (DIME) track was developed. The aim of this report was to (1) describe the inception and structure of the DIME track, (2) assess the effectiveness of a peer-to-peer instructional model and (3) evaluate the track's success in generating scholarly work in medical education.

Approach

Residents engage in structured workshops using a flipped classroom approach. Interactive sessions utilising Kern's Curriculum allow first-year DIME participants to learn principles of curricular development. As residents transition into their second year, they are responsible for facilitating and leading curricular development workshops, transforming from learners to teachers. Each participant also designs and executes a scholarly project focused on medical education with longitudinal mentorship.

Evaluation

Since 2020, five cohorts (n = 20) have participated in the DIME track. We evaluated the program using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative analysis showed that 10 resident-led projects were integrated into undergraduate medical education and seven into graduate medical education curricula. Qualitative feedback from surveys and focus groups identified key themes, emphasising the value of the program's core components.

Implications

DIME's success goes beyond teaching skills; it involves learning and teaching the principles of curricular development to peers as well as applying principles of curricular development to tangible scholarly projects. The track's focus on educational scholarship is a measurable outcome.