Curriculum Reform and New Technology to Fill the Void of Musculoskeletal Education in Medical School Curriculum

Abstract

Musculoskeletal (MSK) disease comprises over 20% of all visits to healthcare providers each year, yet a disproportionately small percentage of medical school education focuses on MSK disease. Even among students applying into orthopaedic surgery, less than 50% demonstrate prerequisite anatomic knowledge before beginning their residency. Medical school curriculum reform is needed, given that only 15% have a required MSK curriculum. Inadequate education ultimately leads to poor patient care and forces clinicians to learn MSK medicine later in practice. Although this inadequacy in medical school MSK education has been recognized for decades, little has changed to address this critical deficiency. A successful curriculum development requires defining critical MSK topics, evaluative methods to assess knowledge acquisition, and ultimately assessment of applying that knowledge to the care of patients. Newer strategies for MSK education include "near-peer" learning from senior classmates and residents, clinical immersion within MSK care teams, peer interest groups, and standardize learning platforms and assessment tools. Technologies such as virtual reality simulation, adaptive video learning, and other technologies will inform the development of affordable, succinct, evidence-informed curriculums that can enhance medical student MSK education with universal implementation. As clinical practice evolves to optimize patient care, so should the education of physicians who deliver that care.