Collaborative curriculum design in a health professional program for anatomy and clinical education

By combining a near-peer instructor (NPI) placement in a master-levelled professional program with co-design approaches, an anatomy and physiology (A&P) review session was developed to supplement Year 1 students’ clinical application. An interactive A&P review, named Partners in Anatomy Learning (PAL) session, was developed by a team of faculty and student partners. A comprehensive co-design framework with five domains guided the development and delivery process of the PAL session to ensure incorporation of diverse perspectives. Year 1 students’ perceptions of their A&P knowledge and application were collected using pre- and post-PAL session surveys, and the team members provided reflections. After the PAL session, Year 1 students felt they had an increased ability to integrate their A&P knowledge into their clinical coursework. The team members felt the co-design process within the NPI placement was a positive partnership experience that leveraged students’ perspectives in curriculum development and implementation.