Stanford Report, February 27, 2002
By Michelle L. Brandt
Imagine being a medical student and getting to "major" in a specialized area, such as biotechnology. Or imagine being a PhD student and working with clinicians to better understand future applications of your research.These scenarios could become reality if a group of strategists get their druthers. During a town hall meeting Monday, Julie Parsonnet, MD, and Karla Kirkegaard, PhD, outlined a series of initiatives that could change the face of medical and graduate education at Stanford. The meeting, led by Dean Philip Pizzo, MD, was the third in a series on the school's strategic planning process. It came two weeks after a faculty retreat on planning.
"We're trying to build something unique and exciting for students and faculty," Parsonnet, senior associate dean for education and student affairs, told the audience. "We want to build on the school's resources: the proximity of Silicon Valley, the presence of a university campus and the incredible faculty and students."
Parsonnet said the planning committee she leads would like medical education to be better tailored to Stanford's strengths. Her group calls for a series of initiatives, including the development of school facilities, promotion of more one-on-one faculty/student advising and a revamp of the curriculum – which currently involves pre-clinical work in the first years, followed by clinical work in the fourth and fifth years.
Under the proposed curriculum, students would conduct clinical and basic science work each year and also join a scholarly track – allowing them to focus on one area. "We want to provide a great clinical education and allow students to go into areas that are intellectually important to them," Parsonnet said, adding that the committee's hope is to have the new curriculum in place by 2005.
Kirkegaard, a professor of microbiology and immunology, discussed ways to continue Stanford's tradition of program intimacy for graduate students while eliminating the school's weaknesses. She said the committee's primary challenges include easing barriers so graduate students can move between programs, broadening exposure to the work of clinicians and researchers in other departments, and better preparing students for careers outside of academia.
The committee is proposing to allow students to conduct work in other departments without having to switch programs, to develop seminars that introduce students to the work of others, to provide incentives for clinicians to work more closely with graduate students and to develop a staffed career center for students.
Pizzo encouraged the audience to provide their thoughts and said the school's strategic plan will incorporate feedback from town hall participants, students, faculty and staff.
Town
hall meeting provides forum to discuss medical school direction and strategic
planning (11/28/01)
Officials gather input on School of Medicine 'blueprint' (1/23/02)
Strategic planning retreat blends individuality, unity (2/20/02)