Qualitative study regarding changes required in the contemporary undergraduate dental curriculum in Pakistan

Gul Muhammad, Usman Mahboob, Rahila Yasmeen, Rehan Khan

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the necessary changes which are required in the undergraduate dental curriculum in Pakistan.

Methods: The Qualitative interpretive interviews based study was done at ten teaching institutes across the four provinces of Pakistan, from February 2019 to July 2019. The study included faculty members who are at an executive position and can influence the policies at national level. The interviews were audio-taped, and a thematic analysis of transcript was done manually. The credibility wasestablished through triangulation, and member checking of the interviews.

Results: Thirteen dental faculty members with background of Medical Education were interviewed. A total of 40 open codes were developed in the first cycle of the coding that was later merged under 13 codes in the second cycle. The second cycle codes were arranged under eight subthemes that were finally assembled under three themes. The three themes were changes in curriculum content, changes in learning and teaching strategies and formulation of curriculum. Changes in curriculum content included three subthemes namely; changes which were relevant to subjects, time and responsibility towards community. Changes in the teaching and learning strategies included two subthemes: improvement in teaching methodology and improvement in the assessment methodologies. The formulation of curriculum included three subthemes: curriculum as formal document, curricular designs and the informal curriculum.

Conclusion: A number of changes need to be incorporated in the present undergraduate dental curriculum in Pakistan. The dental curriculum in Pakistan needs changes in curriculum content, changes in teaching and learning strategy and the changes in the formulation of the curriculum. Different changes required in the undergraduate dental curriculum are the changes relevant to subjects, time allocation, teaching methodology, assessment methodology and it should cater to the local needs of the community. The formulation of curriculum requires it to be a formal document with portion of informal document and curricular designs. The curriculum amended according to the latest recommendations can be implemented appropriately with support from the regulatory bodies.