Abstract:

The new medicine degree of the Universitat Jaume I kicked off in the academic year 2011-2012 with great success. The curriculum degree was designed with a modern approach enhancing the systemic point of view in almost all courses, in other words, in the first semesters each basic non-clinical course is designed to study the human body as a subsystem set (i.e.: the digestive apparatus, the respiratory apparatus, etc.) Then, this type of courses integrates contents, practices and human resources (lecturers) which run separately in conventional medicine curriculum.

However, these subjects are so dense in content and activities that leave no room for introducing the scientific method in the degree, despite it is one of its strategic objectives. Therefore, this problem has been partially solved by introducing the scientific method in complementary subjects of the first six semesters: Biostatistics, Biology, Biochemistry, Informatics and Epidemiology, among the most important subjects. Yet, that does not completely cover the aforementioned strategic objective, so the authors are considering a revision of the curriculum for introducing some routes to ensure the basic scientific training for medical students in a near future. This pretends to ensure the vertical integration between several courses along the six years of degree, mainly with the following subjects: Biostatistics (1st y); Informatics (2nd y); Epidemiology and Clinical Management (3rd y); Research in the Clinical Practice (4th, 5th, and 6th y); and Degree Thesis (6th y). In addition, students will be supported by specific research mentors during the development of the above mentioned courses.

The aim of this work is to describe the current experience in the course named Computer Resources and Information Research' (Informatics). This subject introduces general concepts of the scientific method, the taxonomy and design of scientific studies in the evidence-based medicine framework, the analysis and interpretation of results, and the diffusion of elaborated conclusions in the form of presentations and journal papers. This follows the main steps in the scientific cycle of biomedical studies. Students are developing this cycle not only learning theoretical matters, but also working with case studies using general (computer-based office suites) and specific computer tools (reference searchers and managers). The experience description is composed of two different aspects: the structure of contents and the organization of training activities; the response of students. Despite the course is still active, right now partial results from short satisfaction surveys have shown some success in the introduction of the scientific method and student satisfaction. At the end of this semester, students will respond to a complete satisfaction survey in order to confirm the current trend in the course.

Keywords:

Scientific Method, Medicine Studies, Systemic Approach of Medicine.