EA-3104 Curriculum Review and Improvement Process (Governance)

1.0      Purpose

To establish a structured, multi-level governance process for the systematic review of the undergraduate medical education curriculum to ensure that courses, curricular phases, and the curriculum as a whole are appropriately integrated, sequenced, and aligned with the program’s educational objectives and overarching goals. This process supports continuous quality improvement by examining whether all components of the curriculum collectively achieve intended educational outcomes and meet institutional and programmatic expectations, using curriculum monitoring and program evaluation data to guide ongoing curricular refinement and improvement.

2.0      Policy

The Medical Curriculum Committee (MCC), with support from the Office of Educational Affairs (OEA), is responsible for oversight of a structured curricular governance process for course/clerkship, Phase 1–3, and whole curriculum reviews. This process uses curriculum monitoring and program evaluation data to evaluate the extent to which the curriculum is integrated, appropriately sequenced, aligned with the program’s educational objectives, overarching goals, the VTCSOM operating principles, and to guide decisions for continuous curricular continuous quality improvement. The process provides transparency and accountability at the governance level, and informs implementation actions at the management level, including course and clerkship directors and other educational leaders.

3.0      Procedures

These procedures outline the implementation of curriculum review processes at the course/clerkship, Phase 1–3, and whole curriculum levels, as further detailed in the Curricular Review Governance Matrix (Appendix 1). Each review is informed by curriculum monitoring and program evaluation data and results in a written curriculum improvement work plan to guide continuous curricular improvement . Each work plan includes defined actions, responsible parties, and timelines for implementation. Progress on these work plans is monitored and reported to the MCC as part of ongoing continuous quality improvement processes.

Curricular Reviews:

1.   Course/Clerkship Reviews (Annual)

Course and clerkship reviews are conducted annually and utilize curriculum monitoring and program evaluation data. Reviews focus on alignment of learning objectives, instructional methods, and assessment strategies, as well as student performance and experience. Findings result in an approved annual curriculum improvement work plan complete with features mentioned above.

2.   Phase 1–3 Reviews (Each Phase, 3-Year Cycle)

Phase reviews are conducted at defined intervals for each phase of the curriculum. Data from the annual reviews are collected. These reviews evaluate integration across courses, sequencing of content, and identification of redundancy or gaps. Cross-course and cross-phase issues are identified and escalated to the MCC for review and action, resulting in a written curriculum improvement work plan at the phase level.

3.   Whole Curriculum Reviews (3-Year Cycle)

Whole curriculum reviews are conducted on a 3-year cycle and integrate all sources of curriculum monitoring and program evaluation data. These reviews assess overall curricular structure, coherence, and alignment with institutional mission, educational objectives, and VTCSOM operating principles, and inform major curricular redesign decisions. Findings result in a written curriculum improvement work plan that guides system-level curricular enhancement.

Governance and Roles

• The Medical Curriculum Committee (MCC) holds decision-making authority for all curricular changes.
• The Office of Educational Affairs (OEA) provides data synthesis, reporting, and analytic support for all review processes.
• Educational leaders are responsible for implementation of approved curricular changes and work plan actions.

Documentation and Archiving

All course, phase, and whole curriculum review activities and resulting written curriculum improvement work plans are documented and archived to support longitudinal curriculum evaluation, continuous quality improvement, and accreditation reporting.

Appendix.  Curricular Review Governance Matrix

4.0        References

• Curriculum Monitoring EA-3102

5.0        Approval and Revisions

Approved by the Medical Curriculum Committee on May 21, 2026