Flipping the Script: How AWSOM’s Flipped Classroom Will Benefit Students

In under six months, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) will open its doors to its first class of 48 students. Throughout their four years at AWSOM, these students will be trained in a whole-person approach to care through diverse educational experiences, including case-based and simulation-based learning, early clinical experiences, research opportunities, interprofessional education, clinical rotations, and electives.

One of the primary ways that AWSOM faculty will engage students educationally is through the flipped classroom model, an instructional strategy designed to encourage self-directed learning. Traditionally, students attend lecture-based classes and complete assignments outside of the classroom. In the flipped classroom model, students acquire knowledge independently before class, typically through assigned readings or video lectures.

In the AWSOM flipped classroom model, students will prepare for class using faculty-curated learning modules and use their in-class time for active, application-based learning such as discussions, case studies, and collaborative coursework with peers.

The Benefits of a Flipped Classroom

Flipped classroom is a well-researched strategy used by many schools in the United States, including Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine.

Recent studies on flipped classroom in health professions education have found the following benefits:

• Higher academic performance and student satisfaction
• Increased student understanding, engagement, and interest in material
• More opportunities for students to apply their knowledge
• Higher amount of student-to-student interactions
• Improved flexibility and ability for students to learn at their own pace

Educators are also more engaged in a flipped classroom setting. In Twelve Tips for “Flipping” the Classroom, Jennifer Moffett writes that a “key advantage of the flipped classroom is that class time can be freed from the delivery of material and used for more creative teaching and learning methods.” She also notes that the flipped classroom encourages more interaction between educators and students, allowing students to get support on coursework and giving educators “real-time feedback on the in-class activities and what specific topics cause confusion for students.”

Flipped Classrooms at AWSOM

At AWSOM, students will complete faculty-curated online learning modules before attending in-person class. During class, they will work in small groups and apply their knowledge through activities such as problem-based learning, simulation, role-playing, and gamified sessions. In these activities, students will diagnose, order tests, and create treatment plans. Faculty will facilitate group discussions and guide critical thinking, encouraging teamwork and problem-solving.

AWSOM Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs Yerko Berrocal, MD, MHPE, has firsthand experience with the benefits of the flipped classroom method in medical education. In his analysis (see the table below), he found that the flipped classroom was the most successful method for teaching higher-order thinking.

“At AWSOM, we believe in the power of the flipped classroom model to promote higher-order thinking, which is an essential skill to prepare students for the clinical setting. For example, it will allow our future physicians to apply their general medical knowledge to unique patient situations and modify treatment protocols when necessary.” said Dr. Berrocal, “By using this approach with our ARCHES curriculum, our students will achieve a deeper comprehension of the material, which will support the goals of competency-based medical education by fostering both a thorough understanding and practical application of knowledge.”

 

Interested in applying to Alice L. Walton School of Medicine? Learn more on the Admissions Requirements page.