PD045 - DESIGNING & IMPLEMENTING A NUTRITION COMPONENT IN A SPIRALLY INTEGRATED, OUTCOME-BASED, STUDENT-CENTERED MBBS CURRICULUM

PD045

DESIGNING & IMPLEMENTING A NUTRITION COMPONENT IN A SPIRALLY INTEGRATED, OUTCOME-BASED, STUDENT-CENTERED MBBS CURRICULUM

N. Peries¹, J. Jayaweera², K. Jayasundara³, S. Paranawithana⁴, N. Palletenna⁵, K. Gooneratne⁶, T. D. Wickramasekara^7,*

¹Medical Education , University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, ²Nutrition, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Colombo, ³Paediatrics, ⁴Biochemistry, ⁵Public Health and Family Medicine, ⁶Medicine and Mental Health, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, ⁷Nutrition Division , Medical Research Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Rationale: Despite its importance in disease prevention & management, nutrition education is often inadequately structured in medical curricula. We have created a comprehensive nutrition component within a spirally integrated, outcome-based MBBS curriculum, aiming to achieve higher-order learning outcomes.

Methods: The curriculum was developed through five iterative rounds discussions with experts in basic & applied sciences, medical education, clinical nutrition, public health, basic & clinicians. Two key outcomes developed were: 1. Demonstrate nutritional interventions after identifying individual & community-level nutritional problems, 2. Apply evidence-based nutrition knowledge in clinical practice. Identified nutrition content is blue printed & embedded in the curriculum.

Results: Basic Sciences teach concepts such as digestion, absorption, metabolism, energy balance, protein requirements. These are subsequently integrated across physiological & pathological statuses in Applied Sciences such as starvation, pregnancy, lactation, growth, development aging, diseases and recovery. Training includes assessment of individual nutritional status, risk assessment & surveillance.. A dietary history is taken & examinations are performed to formulate probable diagnoses & recognize the impact of socio-economic factors on nutritional status during clinicals. Students provide nutritional advice considering ethical concerns and cultural beliefs related to food behaviour. Teaching methods include CBLs, Flipped Classrooms, PBLs, simulation & FiLM, ward teaching & community activities. Assessment is multi-model, including field visit reports, viva, mcqs, SEQs, OSPE & OSCE.

Conclusion: A spirally integrated, student-centered, multi-disciplinary approach connect basic sciences & clinical practice to achieve clinical decision-making & community-based problem-solving related to nutrition in health.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared