An integrated clinical correlation course in the neurosciences for first-year medical students

An increasing number of medical schools are undertaking substantial curricular revisions embodying such concepts as small group teaching, early patient contact, and active student participation in the learning process, all within the organ system approach to learning. One system that seems especially suited to the new approach is that of the neurosciences. A clinical correlation course in the neurosciences was conducted for freshman medical students at the University of Southern California in 1970. Twenty three instructors, all practicing clinicians and most of them neurosurgeons, provided small group experiences for the 98 students during the seven week course. This report contains a description of the design, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of the course and of the major factors which contributed to its successful outcome. The evaluation data provide some interesting insights into this teaching learning process that are applicable to many educational experiences.