CPM Spring 2020 - 12

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Features

the intervening time. Procedural changes
such as angiography, stenting and robotic
surgery also represent substantial changes.
My education was characterized primarily
by class size lectures that were attended by
students in person in the lecture halls. Small
groups in the 1970's typically revolved
around dissection or laboratory-based
learning, although Penn State's Humanities
curriculum also functioned primarily
through small groups.

SO, WHAT ARE SOME
SPECIFIC CHANGES IN MEDICAL
EDUCATION THAT I HAVE
OBSERVED?
There is substantially smaller group education than was the case previously. Most
of the groups currently are composed of
approximately seven to ten medical students
in a group at Penn State Hershey. Common
12 Spring 2020 Central PA Medicine

courses in which this is incorporated are Problem based learning is another heavily
humanities, biomedical courses, and clin- utilized aspect of medical education that enical skills instruction. This provides more tered the curriculum at Penn State Hershey
individualized instruction, as students in a in the 1980's and 1990's. Initially, there was
faculty-facilitated setting examine together a divided curriculum of students having a
their own skill development and how they choice of self-directed problem-based learnmight approach diagnosis and treatment ing small groups or traditional lecture-based
or future issues in practice.
education. Subsequently, the two were
hybridized into a single educational program
Humanities courses have always been with components of both. Problem based
a unique aspect of Penn State Hershey learning, of course, facilitates education that
education, particularly since the first Hu- allows students to learn through a clinical
manities Department in a medical school vignette and under faculty facilitation
in the United States was at Penn State how to independently investigate various
(the same distinction holds true for the aspects of the case and the disease entity
Department of Family and Community represented, and it helps students to probe
Medicine.) Humanities is required in first, their thinking and investigate the basic
second, and fourth years. It is typically science principles that support the practice
conducted in large and small groups and of medicine. It is a wonderful method of
provides discussion into the "why" questions clinically applied learning coupled with
of medicine to supplement the "what" and skill development and how to achieve goals
"how". Students typically find it leavens in a small group, as well as independent
their professional development.
learning and how to locate appropriate

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CPM Spring 2020

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