A Strategy to Activate the Basic Science Education in Medical School

Abstract

The aim of this article is to identify roadblocks prohibiting effective education of medical students in the basic sciences and then propose strategies for designing and implementing a better curriculum in the basic sciences that remove the roadblocks thereby increasing the relevance to students' clinical experiences in medical training. Traditionally, the medical student experiences basic science education in a setting where there is little or no communication between the basic science and clinical science professors, where basic science content is given with very little clinical context, while clinical training does not enhance understanding of the scientific foundation for clinical practice. Herein, we re-address the purpose of basic science education proposing the concept of 'transfer' as a bridge to connect the basic and clinical science education. We also propose a continuing education program for staff development in the successful implementation of these proposals.