The core content of the undergraduate curriculum in Manchester

Aim To identify the core content for the new undergraduate medical curricul um in Manchester. Method The initial step was to produce a list of 'index clinical situations ' (ICSs), for which a newly graduated doctor must have a required level of competence. Using repeated consultation with consultants and general practi tioners involved in medical education in the North-West of England, a list of 215 ICSs was agreed. Specialists and generalists were then asked to iden tify the components of the knowledge base and the performance (skills) base for each ICS. The knowledge base was divided into technical (biomedical fa cts/concepts) and contextual (effect/management of disease within the indiv idual, family and society) domains. The performance base was divided into i ntellectual (problem solving and decision making) and interpersonal (histor y, examination, communication and procedural skills) domains. Results Forty specialities were consulted and 11021 items (defined as a pie ce of knowledge, a concept or a skill) were identified. There was considera ble overlap in the items listed, such that when the returns for each ICS we re amalgamated, the 215 ICSs contained 6434 items with a mean of 34 +/- 14. 2 per situation (range 6-85). Utilisation We have used the defined ICSs in the design of the trigger mate rial used in the weekly problem-based learning sessions. Over 4 years almos t all (207/215, 96%) of the ICS are covered, with many being revisited at s everal points in the curriculum.