1. Creating an Online Curriculum for Graduate Medical Education
Brad G. Olson, MD MS
Department of Pediatrics
SUNY Upstate Medical University

2. Outline What problem did we need to fix? What we did?
Brief demonstration
Outcomes

3. The problem? Lack of trainee attendance at core lecture series
Pediatric residents have significant service obligations in both inpatient and outpatient settings limiting their ability to attend lectures
30% attendance rate
ACGME citation for trainee attendance!!!
Curriculum of convenience
Individual lecturers decided what to lecture on.
The scope of the curriculum was not designed to cover a defined content.

4. What we did… Major curriculum reform effort initiated 2005
Created a comprehensive online core curriculum to supplant the previous face-to-face lecture series.
2 year project involving >50 faculty and 165 lectures
Employed best practices for design and development of online lectures
Majority of lectures 20 – 25 minutes total duration
Each learning unit contains:
Video lecture (brief <30 slides)
Supplemental resource material (review article)
Quiz (4 – 5 question multiple-choice quiz)

5. What we did…

6. What we did…
Curriculum now covers a defined scope of content outlined by the American Board of Pediatrics for the certification exam
Our previous noon conference series is now delivered during protected time every Thursday morning (8 AM – 12 PM)
These sessions are case presentations that illustrate the core didactics housed in the online curriculum.
The expectation is that trainees will review the core didactics online prior to the case presentation series promoting the formation of functionally relevant knowledge.

7. Benefits of online curriculum…
We make information available in response to the learner’s immediate needs
You can do your ICU lectures when you’re rotating through the ICU
“Experts” can be brought to the learner at any time
Resident's can review the local specialists approach to clinical problem
Fulfills ACGME requirement for a structured didactic educational program with monitored attendance.
We monitor curriculum completion throughout residency training program
Jared Mott’s comment: You mean I could get a Scott Schurman’s approach to evaluating & treating a hyponatremic kid in the middle of the night?

8. Outcomes Learner satisfaction is a high
What educational format is easier to use (face-to-face vs. online)?
73% prefer online lectures over face-to-face for the core lecture series
Overall rating of online lecture series?
80% rate either “Outstanding” or “Very Good”

9. Outcomes
Online curriculum was presented during the Pediatric Academic Society national meetings – Toronto 2007
Now a shared curriculum between our institution and UCSF Department of Pediatrics
Developed CME curriculum for pediatricians throughout Central New York (certified as type 2 MOC by the ABP)

10. Outcomes
Focus group study of 29 pediatric residents investigating perceptions of affordances and barriers to utilization of the online curriculum.
Key factors for success…
Assure quality
Constrain length of online lectures (<25 minutes)
Simplify user interface to maximize learner time with content
Design curriculum to cover a full and defined scope of content
International Jl. on E-Learning (2013) 12 (2),

11. Outcomes
Focus group study of 29 pediatric residents investigating perceptions of affordances and barriers to utilization of the online curriculum.
Key factors for success…
Intentionally integrate online curriculum with overall educational program
Assure quality of online learner feedback (quizzes)
Set expectations and actively monitor compliance with curriculum
International Jl. on E-Learning (2013) 12 (2),

12. Questions olsonb@upstate.edu