From the Guidelines
New Zealand medical school curricula primarily focus on developing well-rounded physicians through a combination of biomedical sciences, clinical skills, and cultural competence. The main focuses of these curricula can be broken down into several key areas, including:
- A strong foundation in biomedical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology, as emphasized in the early years of study 1
- Extensive clinical rotations in various specialties to develop clinical skills, with an emphasis on practising relevant clinical skills as soon as possible, such as taking medication histories and writing new prescriptions 1
- Cultural competence, with a significant attention given to Māori health and cultural safety, reflecting New Zealand's commitment to addressing indigenous health disparities
- Problem-based learning approaches to encourage critical thinking and self-directed learning skills
- Research training, public health principles, and rural health experiences to prepare graduates for diverse healthcare settings
- Professional development, ethics, and communication skills integrated throughout the programs to ensure graduates can effectively interact with patients and colleagues
- Global health perspectives and interprofessional education to prepare students to work collaboratively in healthcare teams and address complex health challenges in an increasingly interconnected world. While the study by 1 focuses on medication errors and recommendations for undergraduate learning opportunities, it highlights the importance of providing students with sufficient opportunities to practise clinical skills, such as taking medication histories and writing prescriptions, which is a key aspect of New Zealand medical school curricula.
From the Research
Main Focuses of New Zealand Medical School Curricula
The main focuses of New Zealand medical school curricula include:
- Ethics education, with a well-developed and long-standing program in both of New Zealand's medical schools 2
- Increasing healthcare demands and a worldwide doctor shortage, with admissions to medical school being increased and curricula examined and modified to meet the healthcare needs of all New Zealanders 3
- Maori (indigenous) health, with a strong focus on this area in curricula 3
- Affirmative pathways for people of Maori, Pacific, and rural origin to enter medical programs, aiming for a broad demographic representation in future doctors 3
- Integration of basic and clinical fields, with a tendency to establish bedside teaching sooner, provide less theoretical and more practical approaches to teaching, and implement more communication skills and research training 4
- Bioethics and professionalism, which are standard subjects in medical training programs, reflecting particular representations of meaning and practice 5
- Leadership curricula, with a focus on competencies such as communication, evidence-based practice, critical reflective practice, self-management, ethical decision making, and critical thinking and decision making 6
Key Areas of Focus
Some key areas of focus in New Zealand medical school curricula include:
- Professionalism and professional development, with an awareness of the important role that ethics education plays in contributing to these areas 2
- Sociological concerns, such as enculturation, bureaucracy, intra-professional relationships, and public perceptions of medicine, which are largely ignored in standard curricula 5
- Epistemic concerns, such as making good decisions, balancing different kinds of knowledge, and practicing within the bounds of professional protocols, which are also largely ignored in standard curricula 5
- Leadership competencies, such as financial management, strategic planning, and workforce planning, which are not being taught in most degrees 6