canuc-paeds
about canuc-paeds
The Canadian Undergraduate Curriculum in Paediatrics, canuc-paeds, is a comprehensive curriculum in paediatrics designed to cover the span of undergraduate medical education. The curriculum is the result of a collaborative effort from paediatric educators from medical schools across Canada, the Paediatric Undergraduate Program Directors of Canada (PUPDOC).
The canuc-paeds curriculum is based on the CanMEDS competency framework of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, with content objectives developed based on clinical presentations. The curriculum also includes key conditions, linked to the clinical presentations, along with foundational knowledge that is essential for the Canadian medical student to have acquired in order to have a full understanding of the objectives. A comprehensive list of resources for medical students, linked to these objectives, is currently in development. Each component of the curriculum, as well as resources and information about contributors and PUPDOC can be accessed using the links at the top of this page.
Clinical Presentations
The canuc-paeds curriculum is comprised of 29 clinical presentations and their corresponding key conditions.
The canuc-paeds curriculum is comprised of 26 clinical presentations and their corresponding key conditions. “Key conditions” are the core conditions that the Paediatric Undergraduate and Clerkship Directors of Canada (PUPDOC) felt are essential for graduating medical students to know. The Key Conditions are neither a differential diagnosis nor a scheme (approach to the clinical presentation). They highlight conditions that may be unique to paediatrics, that are essential, or that are common. The clinical presentations are listed to the left, and selecting each one will reveal corresponding key conditions. Please note that key conditions may not be exclusive to a single clinical presentation.
Foundational knowledge is that which is required to have a full understanding of the clinical presentations, and includes but is not limited to anatomy, physiology, embryology, pathophysiology and pharmacology. This knowledge maybe acquired in the preclinical component of medical education, or may be acquired along side clinical encounters. The foundational knowledge is aligned with the clinical presentations, and can be viewed by selecting the clinical presentations to the left. A comprehensive document is also attached below.
A collection of resources aligned with the clinical presentations of canuc-paeds has been collated and are aimed to provide information at the level of the medical student, and are subdivided into type. Overviews provide general information about the topic, and often include aspects of foundational knowledge – the basic science knowledge that is required to have an understanding of the topic. Clinical resources are those which can be referenced during the care of a patient, and often include guidelines and other highly clinically relevant information. Virtual patients or cases use these formats to allow the learners to engage in the topic. Resources have been evaluated for quality based on: (a) alignment with the curriculum, (b) evidence based, (c) user friendly and (d) accessible. Annotations have been provided to help learners determine if a particular resource will meet their personal learning need.
guiding principles of canuc-paeds
PROJECT DESIGN
The curriculum will be based on the best practices in medical education. It will be competency-based, succinct, and practical.
SCOPE
canuc-paeds will encompass all of undergraduate paediatric medical education. It will focus on generalism and core paediatric content. It will have a Canadian context.
COST, PROFIT, ACCESS
canuc-paeds will be open-access and free for the end user. Maintenance and delivery of canuc-paeds will not be for profit. If costs encur for the maintenance and delivery of the curriculum, they will be borne by institutions.
ALIGNMENT
It will be aligned with the Medical Council of Canada objectives, the CanMEDS 2005 competency framework, the National Symposium on Child Health 2006 recommendations, and the Future of Medical Education in Canada 2010 recommendations.
CURRICULAR DECISION MAKING
Each school will decide how best to use the curriculum and resources to achieve the educational mission of its own institution.
LANGUAGES
The objectives, clinical presentations, and foundational knowledge will be bilingual (English and French). Educational resources will be in either English or French.