The status of curriculum mapping of undergraduate medical programmes in South Africa.

[摘要] ENGLISH SUMMARY : Introduction: Medical schools in South Africa have to provide evidence that the curriculum meets standards for accreditation and that graduates can address the health care needs in society. Curriculum review and renewal is an ongoing process to ensure curricula stay relevant. Curriculum mapping has become a widely used way in which curricula are being managed and reviewed. At Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) the Curriculum Development Committee (CDC) is in the process of developing a curriculum map. The aim of this study was to explore the status of curriculum mapping at medical schools in South Africa and to use the results to make recommendations to the CDC at SMU. Methodology: The study made use of descriptive and interpretive (non-experimental) methods and an exploratory qualitative design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with curriculum leaders from all eight medical schools in South Africa. Data were transcribed by the researcher and analysed by using the framework model. The analysis was done in a thematic non-linear process, with collection, transcription, and analysis being intertwined. Codes were used to facilitate comparison of data within and between categories. The analysed data were brought into context with knowledge on curriculum mapping processes and curriculum mapping tools elsewhere in the western world. Interpretation of data was done by aggregating patterns, searching for structure and synthesising findings, and explicitly focused on the South African context. Results: All eight of the institutions who offered undergraduate medical training during 2015 participated in the study. In analysing the results it was clear that institutional representatives mainly described the current situation (2015) and the possible future vision. In the current situation, the four categories that emerged were curriculum design, curriculum documentation, strategies used at the institution for curriculum review, as well as challenges experienced. The five emergent categories for the future vision were urgency for the preferred way of mapping, expectations of a mapping platform, elements to be reflected within the platform, stakeholders and stakeholder access, and institutional requirements for successful implementation. None of the medical schools in South Africa have completed a curriculum mapping exercise. All institutions have various and separate documents available to accreditation authorities and external examiners during review visits and have strategies in place for curriculum review and renewal. Institutions experience huge challenges intrinsic both to the curriculum and to the external realities impacting on the implementation of the curriculum. These challenges seem to warrant mapping as a possible strategy to analyse and manage the curriculum, and make improvements. There seems to be a growing awareness of sophisticated electronic mapping as a platform to share the vision of the curriculum and improve coherence, review and manage the curriculum, facilitate benchmarking and accreditation, and contribute to research and faculty development. A national mandate and full institutional support will be necessary for mapping to be successfully implemented at each institution. Conclusion: The non-coherence of some curricula, the inability to formulate core content, and the lack of sufficient buy-in and involvement of clinical training educators are of concern. Curriculum leaders will need to ensure that the mapping platform will meet specific institutional requirements to address the challenges while portraying the unique structure of the curriculum. The expectation of benchmarking and collaboration amongst institutions and standardisation of undergraduate outcomes will require a national mandate. This study contributed to a baseline understanding of the status of curriculum mapping of undergraduate programmes at medical training institutions in South Africa. Additional research will be needed to establish if mapping could indeed address the expectations identified in this study.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University