Empowering students with the hidden curriculum

Abstract

<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>The hidden curriculum (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HC</jats:styled-content>) refers to unscripted, ad hoc learning that occurs outside the formal, taught curriculum and can have a powerful influence on the professional development of students. While this learning may be positive, it may conflict with that taught in the formal curriculum. Medical schools take a range of steps to address these negative effects; however, the existence and nature of the concept tends to be hidden from students.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>Since 2007, our medical school has incorporated into its small group programme an educational activity exploring the concept of the hidden curriculum. We undertook a qualitative evaluation of our intervention, conducting a thematic analysis of students’ wiki reflections about the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HC</jats:styled-content>. We also analysed students’ responses to a short questionnaire about the educational approach used.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Findings</jats:title><jats:p>The majority of students felt that the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HC</jats:styled-content> session was important and relevant. Most appeared able to identify positive and negative <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HC</jats:styled-content> experiences and consider how these might influence their learning and development, although a few students found the concept of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HC</jats:styled-content> hard to grasp.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion</jats:title><jats:p>Revealing and naming the hidden curriculum can make students aware of its existence and understand its potential impact. The hidden curriculum may also be a useful tool for triggering debate about issues such as power, patient centredness, personal resilience and career stereotypes in medicine. Supporting students to think critically about <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">HC</jats:styled-content> experiences may empower them to make active choices about which messages to take on board.</jats:p><jats:p><jats:disp-quote content-type="pull-quote"><jats:p>The hidden curriculum can have a powerful influence on the professional development of students</jats:p></jats:disp-quote></jats:p></jats:sec>