title: What are threshold concepts and how can they inform medical education?
abstract: The notion of "threshold concepts" is being widely applied and researched in many disciplines but is rarely discussed within medical education. This article is written by three medical educators who regularly draw on threshold concept theory in their work. They explore here the nature of threshold concepts and describe how the theory can offer medical educators new perspectives in terms of how they design curricula, approach teaching and support learners.
authors.affiliation: a Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry , UK .
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Neve
authors.affiliation: b The University of Auckland , New Zealand.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wearn
authors.affiliation: a Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry , UK .
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Collett
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical; D007858:Learning; D010829:Physiological Phenomena; D013663:Teaching