Integrating High-Value Care Concepts into Preclinical Medical Education: A Practical Approach

ObjectivesAlthough some US medical schools have incorporated high-value care into their preclinical curriculum, there is no standardized approach and major curricular overhaul can be prohibitively onerous. The objectives of this study were to develop a feasible and effective high-value care curriculum, integrate it into an existing pre-clinical course, and assess student and faculty perceptions of the educational value of the curriculum. MethodsBetween 2019 and 2021, University of Vermont preclinical medical students participating in the Students & Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship (STARS) program collaborated with the faculty director of the preclinical pathophysiology course to identify Choosing Wisely (R) recommendations relevant to course topics. For each recommendation, STARS students created a case-based, multiple-choice question, answer key and rationale to accompany standard course materials. At each year's course completion, participating students and faculty were invited to complete a survey to assess their perceptions of the curriculum. ResultsSeventeen case-based questions were integrated into existing pathophysiology course sessions each year. Over the 3-year period, 420 students and 35 teaching faculty participated in the course, and 171 (40.7%) students and 24 (68.6%) faculty completed the post-course survey. Among student respondents, 80% agreed the curriculum increased their awareness of high-value care, 79% agreed they would be more likely to apply high-value care concepts during their medical career, and 92% agreed it was valuable to discuss Choosing Wisely (R) recommendations during the second year of medical school. ConclusionA student-led initiative to incorporate high-value care content within an existing pre-clinical course was well-received by medical students, who reported increased awareness of and intention to apply high-value care principles. This model may offer a feasible and effective approach to high-value care education in the absence of an extensive formal curriculum.