An undergraduate paediatric curriculum based on clinical presentations and 'key features'.
OBJECTIVE
We wanted to develop and define an undergraduate paediatric curriculum in a way that would facilitate the development of clinical reasoning.


METHODS
We sent a series of four questionnaires to paediatricians in New Zealand to explore their perceptions of common presenting complaints for an undergraduate paediatrics curriculum. The final group of paediatricians consulted had no further suggestions to add to the twenty five presentations that had already been listed. Further consultation lead to the determination of the knowledge and skills students' require in order to assess and manage these presentations.


RESULTS
We have defined with wide consultation, a framework for an undergraduate paediatric curriculum suitable for New Zealand.


CONCLUSIONS
When consulting with a range of experts it can be difficult to reach agreement. By describing the curriculum as a series of presenting complaints and using the concept of 'key features' we were able to reach agreement on the content and details of an undergraduate curriculum for paediatrics.
Pinnock
Ralph
R
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Jones
Alison
A
D003479:Curriculum; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011361:Professional Competence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking