Conceptual Basis for
Integrated Curriculum:
Marianne N. Prout
PACE (Prevention and Cessation
Education)
Questions to ask about integrating
curriculum
 Why?
 Content
 What?
 Venues
 When?
 Teaching methods
Why integrate tobacco control
curriculum?
 Tobacco control should be part of basic
skills of ALL medical students
 Core courses are venues for basic skills
 Tobacco “tie ins” emphasize the diffuse
impact of tobacco on anatomy,
physiology, pathology, pharmacology,
adult and pediatric medicine, ob-gyn,
etc.
What is the conceptual framework
for integrating tobacco control?
 Connect with other chronic disease
prevention issues
 Teach with motivational interviewing
skills
 Include with addiction counseling
 Pharmacologic approaches
 Family systems
When can tobacco curriculum be
integrated?
 Layered, sequential learning…the onion
 Acquisition of knowledge and skills early
in medical school and reinforcement of
skills at every opportunity
 Clerkships to emphasize practice-based
teaching so that tobacco control
becomes routine for every student
How to assure all content is
included
 Carefully define learning objectives and
specific content that needs to be covered
 Determine the teaching time (in
minutes!) required for specific objectives
 Remember that redundancy will be
quickly criticized by medical students
How to find venues for
teaching tobacco control
 Decide the timing in medical school most
appropriate for the learning
objectives…preclinical/clinical
 Identify specific courses and instructors
for learning objectives
 Give something to get some teaching
time…clinical correlations for anatomy,
case materials for problem-based
learning, guest lectures in specific
courses
Teaching methods for
integrated tobacco control
 Lectures
 Adding tobacco to cases…adults,
pediatrics, and families
 Tobacco as example in teaching
material, e.g. in epidemiology, addiction
 Skills development
sessions/standardized patients
 Clinical rotations…preceptor
requirements
Pragmatic Reasons for integrated
tobacco control curriculum
 Offer to teach in existing courses: a
valued favor
 Time for new coursework: priceless
Limitations of integrated
curriculum
 Quality control of teaching…especially
during clinical rotations
 Focus may shift, requires constant
supervision and attention
Lessons learned on integrating
curriculum
 Longstanding relationships improve
feasibility
 Advisory Committee provides critical
allies


To set standards for teaching and practice
To identify and insert teaching into venues