In its 2001 strategic plan, The College of OsteopathicMedicine called for the development of a medical

educationunit. In the spring of 2003 a group of interested peoplethroughout COM began discussion and planning. The concept of a medical education unit wasderived from a set of needs:• Curriculum revision from an outcomes/ competency-based approach • Interests of the people in the group converge and overlap• A forum for networking, problem identification, and solution for cross-curricula faculty• An agenda for medical education research• A master plan in faculty development across COM• Use of technology, including distance learning, to

enhance teaching and learning

Creating a Medical Education Unit: Pearls and Pitfalls

India Broyles EdD, Rorie Lee PhD MPH, Sarah Sprafka PhD, Mildred Savidge PhD, Evelyn Schwalenberg-Leip DO, Kathryn Thompson PhD

University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine, 11 Hills Beach Rd, Biddeford, ME 04005

Maine, the Way Life Should Be!

A “virtual” unit would provide an opportunity to combine current resources in a more efficient manner that insures continuity and shared complementary expertise. The Center for Educational Enhancement (CMEE) would become the hub for support of work in other units. Our vision of this educational center was to: Capitalize on the expertise of educational personnel and serve as a “think tank” to approach problems and create new ideas in the UNECOM medical education process. Encourage, support, and conduct clinical and educational research as well as other forms of scholarship. Offer the medical educators at UNECOM a networking and feedback group with opportunities to critique and encourage each other. Increase medical educators’ participation in college governance, policy development, and educational issues.

The Center is dedicated to enhancing the quality of medical education and scholarship in the College of Osteopathic Medicine and extended medical education communities.

INITIAL VISIONINITIAL VISION

Background

The Center promotes:• Program development including curriculum and

instructional support, • Program evaluation including learner

assessment,• Clinical and educational research and

scholarship,• Collaboration among COM faculty/staff and with

other UNE units, • Professional development for faculty and staff• Grant acquisition for educational improvement. 

Innovation – serves as internal and external change agents

Systematic Development – coordinates the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs

Service – serves the college, the university, the community, and the profession

Collegiality – supports and augments individual efforts through collaboration, consultation, and teamwork

Scholarship – strives for excellence in the pursuit and dissemination of new knowledge in medical education

Advocacy – seeks to empower and secure accessInclusion – thrives on strength through diversityQuality – uses evidence/data as part of quality

improvement

Mission

VALUES

GOALS

The implementation stalled. A new curriculum-revision committee began a year-long study. As the work advanced, the committee realized the need for one unit with the authority and expertise to guide the multiple elements of a comprehensive curriculum, instruction and assessment plan with concurrent faculty development. The medical education unit needed an institutional home with authority

Office ofFaculty

Development

Office ofthe Dean

Office ofCommunityPrograms

Office ofClinicalAffairs

Office ofBasic

Sciences

Office ofStudentAffairs

Office ofCurriculum

Support

Dean’sCouncil

AcademicAffairs

Center forMedical

EducationEnhancement

Program DevelopmentEvaluation & ResearchInstructional Technology

Office ofContinuing

MedicalEducation

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

The Center for Medical Education Enhancement seeks to Promote vertical and horizontal organization of

educational programs Correlate faculty development with curriculum design Promote research on medical education and stimulate

scholarship with faculty, staff, and students Seek grant support for internal development and

grant/contract support for larger projects that extend our influence in medical education

Improve the quality of program development and research in medical education

Increase participation in governance Develop strong relationships with funding agencies and

organizations Encourage the development of certificate/degree in

medical education Manage the current resources to bring together

technology and media for the improvement of medical education

POTENTIAL OUTCOMES/TASKS