Residency Program Leaders Published in JAAOS

Leaders of the Columbia Orthopedics residency training program – T. Sean Lynch, MD, Charles M. Jobin, MD, and William N. Levine, MD – recently published an article in the Journal of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons titled “Curriculum Reform and New Technology to Fill the Void of Musculoskeletal Education in Medical School Curriculum.”

The review examined current curriculum and technology practices of medical school education associated with musculoskeletal disease. Currently only 15% of medical school programs have musculoskeletal disease curriculum and less than 50% of students applying into orthopedic surgery have the prerequisite anatomic knowledge before entering their residency.

“Musculoskeletal complaints make up over 20% of trips to healthcare providers each year; however, a fraction of a medical student’s education is directed towards the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of these issues,” said Dr. Lynch. “It’s our goal of this review to shed light on this underrepresentation to help invoke change so the medical community can better care for all patients.”

The review found that the challenges around musculoskeletal disease learning material centered on the delivery of this material, as well as the assessment of uptake and retention in a succinct curriculum. The use of effective teaching modalities; such as additional lectures, anatomy sessions, and focused small group learning; along with newer technology; such as 3D software, podcasts, and video lectures; will promote the development of affordable, evidence-informed curriculums that can enhance learning with universal implementation.

“The development of the musculoskeletal disease skill set lends itself to new teaching platforms such as 3D software, podcasts, and near-peer learning in-person as well as on electronic platforms.  Our works has laid the foundation for future education initiatives here at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and we cannot be more excited to get started,” said Dr. Lynch.

Read the full article here.