Abstract
David E. Kern, Patricia A. Thomas, and Mark T. Hughes. Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University Press, 2009, 253 pages, $75.00 hardcover; $40.00 paperback.
Curriculum Development for Medical Education: A Six-Step Approach by David Kern has been one of the most important books on the shelves of medical educators since its publication in 1998. It has served as a seminal resource guiding many leading medical schools and residency programs toward a systematic approach to solid curriculum development. Having read the first edition of this book and as a user and advocate of the six-step approach to curriculum development in medical education proposed by Kern et al., I read the second edition with high curiosity wondering what it would offer.
The second edition is thoroughly revised and significantly expanded. The book begins with an overview of the six-step approach to curriculum development: problem identification and general needs assessments, targeted needs assessment, goals and objectives, educational strategies, implementation and evaluation, and feedback. Subsequent chapters cover each of the six steps in depth and new chapters address curriculum maintenance and dissemination as well as critical current issues in medical education such as the Accreditation Council for Graduate Education's (ACGME) mandated competency requirements, medical education technology, and new information on medical education funding.
One of the major perks of this resource is concrete examples of the curriculum development process. In the appendix, one can find three true scenarios enriched with three full curricula, which clearly demonstrate each of the six steps of curriculum development introduced in the book. The three examples include curriculum for medical students (Chronic Disease and Disability), internal medicine residents (Primary Care Gynecology), and an example of a longitudinal program in curriculum development. These examples are practical and were clearly chosen to show how this method can be applied to different levels of learner over various amounts of time.
The book is very well written and explores how factors in medical education such as the educational environment, the level of the adult learner, and the training and experience of medical educators can impact our patients, families, and society. This comprehensive view encourages an academic approach to education and calls for scholarship related to medical curriculum development that can be achieved through collaboration across medical schools and institutions. I believe the reader will not be disappointed. I consider Kern's six-step approach a very practical and theoretically sound method for the development, implementation, evaluation, and improvement of educational experiences in medicine. This text will prepare medical educators in any discipline, including hospice and palliative care medicine, for projects in curriculum development and serve as a pertinent resource throughout their educational adventure.