About the Office of Education and Curriculum (OEC)

Curriculum Database

OEC staff update the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) national Curriculum Inventory. Reports are available at the AAMC website. Contact Melissa Buchanan (545-2132) for more information regarding the Curriculum Inventory.  The SCOPE Survey replaced the Curriculum Inventory in 2023.

Text and Web-based Resources Patient Presentations (Cases)

Patient cases developed by faculty are converted into electronic (Problem-Based Learning Module or PBLM) format and web-based (DxR and ePBLM's) format by OEC staff.

Educational Computing

OEC staff support curriculum and faculty in web page, database, online resource development, and assessment. Contact Jason Arnold (545-8082) for assistance with educational computing.

Resource Sessions

OEC staff work with students and faculty to schedule resource sessions requested by students or that faculty believe students may need during their self-directed study.

Discipline, Organ System, and Unit-Related Resources

OEC staff work with faculty to develop a set of resources that will assist students in their self-directed learning.

Scheduling

OEC staff work with unit chairs, faculty, and community agencies to develop schedules for each curriculum unit.

Assessment

Working with the year directors, course directors, tutors, and faculty, OEC staff in the Professional Development Laboratory, Performance Assessment Unit, and Educational Resources Unit assist in the development of patient cases for use in performance-based examinations, standardized patient identification and training, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) stations and computer-based examinations. Clinical Competency Examination (CCX) software serves as the basis for performance-based examinations.

Using the assessment software package ExamSoft, OEC staff work with course directors to categorize and bank questions and create computer-based assessments. In addition to assisting in examination development, OEC staff also provide assistance with exam administration, item analysis, and reporting. Contact Melissa Buchanan (545-2132) for more information.

Student Progress

OEC staff collect and enter student performance data into the Student Information System and ensure that data and reports are available for use in student progress decisions, Dean's Letters, and transcripts. Contact Cherie Forsyth (545-6124) for more information.

Policy Implementation

OEC staff work with year directors, unit chairs, tutors, and faculty to implement educational policies enacted by the Educational Policy Council.

Committee Staffing

The OEC provides staffing for all curriculum and student progress committees, assisting with agendas, meeting minutes, web page updates, correspondence, reports, statistics, special projects, etc.

Curriculum Evaluation

Working with year directors and segment chairs, OEC staff assist in implementing program evaluation plans. These include developing focus groups and questionnaires that are web-based or paper, and providing analyses and reports. Contact Debra Klamen (545-7932) for more information.

Student Outcomes

Using student admissions, performance, and assessment data, OEC provides faculty with reports as to areas of student and curricular strengths and weaknesses. OEC also follows graduates through their post-graduate work, soliciting data from both graduates and their residency supervisors in the areas of knowledge, skills and professional behaviors. Contact Debra L. Klamen, MD, MHPE, Associate Dean for Education and Curriculum, at 545-7932 or dklamen@siumed.edu for more information.

Desktop Support

OEC staff support and maintain computer resources located in tutor rooms (12), the student business office (6), the student lounge (1), the computer lab (21) and annex (2), auditorium (1), outside room 3069 (1), conference rooms (2), Clinical Skills Lab (1), and clerkship offices, as well as Education and Curriculum, Medical Education, and Student Affairs faculty and staff computers (~45)

Audiovisual Support

While educational space is set up for "self-service," audiovisual support is available for undergraduate educational meetings in the auditoriums at 801 N. Rutledge. E-mail requests, follow-up, and questions should be sent to oec_avsupport@siumed.edu.  In addition, the Medical Library has loanable technology available for use by School of Medicine units - for information call 545-2658.

School of Medicine faculty have an opportunity to work with an innovative, internationally-known curricular effort. The School's small size offers a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with students and to leave a lasting impression on the way medicine should be practiced in the future.

Examples of some of the key roles faculty can play in the curriculum are listed below. For more information about your role in the curriculum, please contact the Office of Education and Curriculum, 217-545-7932.

• Serving on curriculum committees, which emphasize learning and assessment methods as well as providing coordination among the various disciplines.
• Working with the Standardized Patient Program to train standardized patients for use in teaching and evaluation.
• Developing patient cases for use in small group discussions, the clinical competency examination, and problem-based learning modules.
• Serving in key roles in the various curricula:
  • Assessment Observers: Faculty who observe students during performance-based assessment, using checklists to ensure that students are developing appropriate communication, history, and physical exam skills.
  • Clerkship Directors: Clerkship directors are responsible for all aspects of planning, scheduling and running the clerkships, planning and implementing clinical activities, seminars, curriculum development, and student assessment.
  • Clerkship Mentors: Individual faculty work with students one-on-one in a clinical teaching/academic advising relationship during the clerkship.
  • Discipline Consultants: (Years 1 and 2) Discipline Consultants are basic science and clinical faculty who review the curriculum materials in their areas of expertise and provide feedback that is used in the development and refinement of the curriculum. Discipline consultants may also be asked to contribute to evaluations.
  • Doctoring Mentors: (Years 1 and 2) These faculty serve as mentors to medical students, assigning six patients over the course of the year and assessing students' histories and physicals and case documentation.
  • Elective Advisors: Selected faculty work individually with students to plan their elective program and provide guidance in course selection and residency program needs.
  • Elective Coordinators: Each department selects a faculty member to work with other departmental faculty to develop appropriate elective course offerings. The Elective Coordinator also serves as the administrative contact between the department and the Year 4 Committee.
  • Elective Course Faculty: All faculty are asked annually to develop and offer short (1-4 weeks) courses to individuals or small groups of Year 4 students on clinical, non-clinical, or research topics in medicine. Courses may also be offered on consecutive Thursday afternoons in blocks of 5 weeks.
  • Tutors: The effectiveness of the tutors is a key element in the operation of problem-based learning. A tutor works with a group of six students over the course of a unit, guiding students through the process of learning. Tutors also evaluate and provide feedback to students.
  • Unit Coordinators: (Years 1 and 2) Designated faculty serve as unit coordinators for each unit in the curriculum, with responsibility for organization and coordination of all curricular activities in the unit.