Practical Guide to Undergraduate Medical Curriculum Alignment and Mapping

Abstract

Objective

Curriculum development and reviews are of paramount importance for academic programs curriculum management. Medical curricula need proper construction and frequent updates to suits learning outcomes considering their integrative nature and rapid scientific advancement. Curriculum alignment and mapping are fundamental for proper integration and planning of medical curriculum. This process is beneficial in detecting gaps and redundancies, and ensuring proper instruction, integration, and transparency. However, there is a paucity in the literature of a practical guidance to such process. Hence, this manuscript provides a practical guidance that was adopted in our institutes.

Methods

A detailed description of twelve step-by-step guidance to curriculum alignment and mapping was provided. The process needed for each step and the flow chart of work was detailed.

Results

This guide was developed and implemented successfully. Among many benefits encountered, many gaps in the contents, learning outcomes and assessment methods were detected and rectified. Additionally, better curriculum integration has been achieved. The current mapping will make any future curriculum reviews easier.

Conclusion

This guide could be utilized by newly developed and existing programs for curriculum alignment and mapping. It fills a gap in academic literature through stepwise workflow which has been tested and implemented.

Keywords:

• curriculum
• mapping
• learning outcomes

Ethics Approval

Not applicable as the research is curriculum related and no humans’ data included.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not for- profit sectors.