The Curriculum: A Commitment to LearningNorthwestern University has a long tradition of curricular innovation. Nathan Smith Davis, MD, one of the founders of the school (and of the American Medical Association) was an early proponent of reform in medical education. At its inception in 1859, the school became the first to offer a “graded” curriculum—that is, a distinct and progressively advanced series of lectures for each of the two years of instruction. The prevailing model at the time required students to attend the same series of lectures in the second year as in the first, whereupon they received a diploma. A few years later, Northwestern added a required third year of hospital-based study, creating a three-year, graded course of instruction—a general model that, with the later addition of a fourth year, has remained the norm in North America. A second notable period of curricular innovation occurred in the 1960s, with the creation of two new programs that have become common features at many schools. The Honors Program in Medical Education, founded in 1961, was one of the first two combined baccalaureate-medical degree programs in the country. In 1963 Northwestern became one of the first three medical schools to receive a grant from the National Institutes of Health establishing a combined MD/PhD program. Leadership in both these new initiatives was provided by John A.D. Cooper, MD, then associate dean of the medical school and later president of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
The school continues to be active in educational innovation. Its most recent major curriculum change was the inauguration of a new first- and second-year curriculum in 1993. The current curriculum is designed to promote active, collaborative learning and provides at least two half-days per week for independent study. These courses comprehensively address the entire spectrum of the biomedical and psychosocial foundations of medicine. This approach emphasizes the development of broadly educated, responsible physicians equipped with the skills necessary for continuous professional growth and adaptation to societal changes throughout their careers. The basic medical science courses are interdisciplinary and utilize a variety of learning strategies. A comprehensive introduction to the social roles and responsibilities of physicians, an innovative curriculum in interpersonal and clinical skills, an emphasis on the process of clinical decision-making, and consistent attention to health promotion/disease prevention are prominent features of the curriculum. In the 2001–02 academic year improvements and innovations in the third and fourth years were implemented after an 18-month study and planning process. Other improvements were implemented in 2002–03 and in 2004–05. The curricular changes include extension of the formal emphasis on professional growth and development issues into the third and fourth years, renewed attention to the provision of appropriate educational opportunities in intensive care and emergency medicine settings, and new opportunities to learn effective habits for continuing self-education. In addition, students are provided opportunities to teach other medical students, thus addressing the need to be prepared for their future roles as educators of students, colleagues, and patients. Currently, Feinberg in the process of a curriculum renewal of the entire undergraduate program, which is scheduled to be implemented during the 2012-2013 academic year. Following a retreat last September, committees comprised of faculty members and students have been working to reassess and re-conceptualize a new framework for our FSM curriculum. Under the new curricular framework, our core competencies will guide the education programs. The new curriculum will adapt to individual learners at each stage of their development and challenge them to meet their potential by fostering an active, inquiry-driven learning environment. The new curriculum will enable students to spend more time in the clinical setting, have more flexibility in designing a course of study, and have the opportunity to explore scholarly areas of interest in greater depth. | 
