1. Rebecca Yael Bak Alexis Light Friday, March 11, 2011 AMSAs 2011 Annual Convention Washington, DC

2. Rebecca Bak Lexi Light

3. Explain how a student-run elective can assist with curriculum reform Describe 8 steps for developing an elective Identify potential obstacles and strategies for overcoming them www.lakeshorelearning.com

4. To teach students about a topic not already taught in medical school To get students (and faculty and staff) to start talking To demonstrate student interest (document everything!) For eventual incorporation into formal curriculum

5. Name: Sex & Health Elective Objectives: To identify and analyze students' own beliefs regarding diverse sexualities (Beliefs) To explain basic sexual health principles for a variety of patients with diverse backgrounds and experiences (Knowledge) To develop the skills to both assess and address sexuality and sexual health concerns (Skills)

6. Steps: 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information/Documentation 9. Research Opportunities (optional)

7. Identify an area of interest Understand what is already being taught at your school Conduct a brief needs assessment 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

8. Example of a short needs assessment

9. Potential obstacles Area of interest is too broad/vague The material you want to teach is already being taught later during medical school Needs assessment is too long Needs assessment does not give you the responses you want 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

10. No man is an island –John Donne **Dont do it alone!** Find other students to help you Find a sympathetic faculty advisor What resources are available? Published literature National guidelines (LCME) Other schools AMSA: email national leaders, Inspiration Exchange, Projects in a Box Other national organizations http://www.belarto.co.uk 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

11. Potential obstacles Lack of interest Lack of interested faculty advisor Scarcity of resources available Vague guidelines about what to teach 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

12. Seek their support Meet with key faculty/administrators regularly Always have an ask and follow up Offering credit? Possibilities for funding? Brainstorm sustainability Use their knowledge and resources 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

13. Potential obstacles Apathy Wont take students seriously Fear of controversy Too much already in the curriculum 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

14. Consider: When will elective / each session be held? How long will each session be? What time will sessions be held? Reserve the location Find speakers (early!) Publicity publicity publicity Emails, flyers, announcements, talk it up, collaborate with other groups, do a teaser Budget? And all other pesky tasks that come up… 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

15. Potential obstacles Timing of class (when during week, day vs. evening) Conflicts with exam schedule Finding speakers Ensuring your speakers talk about what you asked them to discuss Ideally, meet and discuss in person Give them a lot of information (objectives, specific points to cover, etc.) Tasks slipping through the cracks… Ask other classmates about obstacles theyve encountered 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

16. What curricula are already available? Utilize existing resources Create overlying goals (shared vision) What types of educational formats will be used? (Be creative! Alternate possibilities!) Create objectives for each session Homework? A few take home points per session If discussion intended, create facilitator guides Read about curriculum design http://www.ps3vault.com/the-future-of-play- create-and-share-8131 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

17. Potential obstacles Being overwhelmed How to keep students interested? Being overly ambitious Too many objectives Too broad topic Lengthy facilitator guide Not having measurable objectives 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

18. Why evaluate? Improvement of elective Documentation of the process (for future leaders) Research Start early What are you evaluating? The course, specific sessions Student satisfaction Changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills? How will you successfully evaluate? Look at different models of evaluation 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

19. Potential obstacles Are you actually evaluating what you need to evaluate? Lack of specificity in questions Questions not targeting objectives Is the evaluation too long / too short? Lengthy process of IRB approval/exemption 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

20. Keep records! Advisors serve as institutional memory Incorporate first year students early Collaborate with other graduate departments 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

21. Potential obstacles No students interested in future leadership Not preparing early enough for handover 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

22. Google docs (free) All files (publicity materials,.pdfs, forms, etc) Excel sheets Surveymonkey.com (free) Useful for evaluations Pbworks.com (wikipages) (free) The course page (syllabus, homework, discussion) 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

23. Pbworks.com

24. Potential obstacles Documents not being updated in timely fashion Too many copies of documents 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

25. IRB approval/exemption needed prior to research Note: you can (and should) evaluate the elective IRB not required if only using evaluations to improve your course Consider publishing Educational journals Topic-oriented journals MedEdPORTAL Share your curriculum with other schools Contact AMSA! (Inspiration Exchange) 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

26. Potential obstacles Waiting for IRB response Authorship Lack of time 1. Identify a Need 2. Seek Help 3. Approach the Administration 4. Logistics 5. Create the Curriculum 6. Evaluation 7. Sustainability 8. Sharing the Information 9. Research Opportunities

27. Talk up your elective! Tell your faculty about it, show them your evaluations and other data Encourage them to incorporate aspects of your elective – or the whole thing – into your medical school curriculum www.dannybrown.me

28. Please also feel free to email us! Rebecca Bak: rebecca.bak@mssm.edurebecca.bak@mssm.edu Lexi Light: alight@tulane.edualight@tulane.edu