An undergraduate paediatric curriculum based on clinical presentations and ‘key features'

Aim:  We wanted to develop and define an undergraduate paediatric curriculum in a way that would facilitate the development of clinical reasoning.

Method:  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.

Result:  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.