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Minimal effects of reduced teaching hours on undergraduate medical student learning outcomes and course evaluations










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Abstract
Introduction: Various pressures exist for curricular change, including economic forces, burgeoning knowledge, broadening learning outcomes, and improving quality and outcomes of learning experiences. In an Australian 5-year undergraduate medical course, staff were asked to reduce teaching hours by 20% to alleviate perceived overcrowded preclinical curriculum, achieve operating efficiencies and liberate time for students' self-directed learning. Methods: A case study design with mixed methods was used to evaluate outcomes. Results: Teaching hours were reduced by 198 hours (14%) overall, lectures by 153 hours (19%) and other learning activities by 45 hours (7%). Summative assessment scores did not change significantly after the reductions: 0.4% increase, 1.5% decrease and 1.7% increase in Years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The percentage of students successfully completing their academic year did not change significantly: 94.4% before and 93.3% after the reductions. Student evaluations from eVALUate surveys changed little, except workload was perceived to be more reasonable. Conclusions: Teaching hours, particularly lectures, can be moderately reduced with little impact on student learning outcomes or satisfaction with an undergraduate medical course.
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: | Choi-Lundberg, DL and Al-Aubaidy, HAM and Burgess, JR and Clifford, CA and Cuellar, WA and Errey, JA and Harper, AJ and Malley, RC and Ross, RM and Williams, A-MM and Hays, R |
Keywords: | undergraduate (phase of education), evaluation (curriculum), educational environment (curriculum), learning outcomes, medicine (profession), medical students, curriculum development, learning environment, engagement in learning |
Journal or Publication Title: | Medical Teacher |
Publisher: | Carfax Publishing |
ISSN: | 0142-159X |
DOI / ID Number: | https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2019.1652258 |
Copyright Information: | Copyright 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis GroupThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Medical teacher, on 22 August 2019, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/0142159X.2019.1652258 |
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