As described in the literature, integration within the undergraduate medical education (UME) curriculum continues to be a challenge in medical education.  Authors have pointed out that integration (both the concept and process) can mean different things to different stakeholders (e.g. faculty, students, administrators, etc.).  This can complicate the use of integration data for improvement of student learning and the curriculum plus add to the challenge of assessing cognitive integration.  There are several frameworks that have been proposed in the literature for assessment of integration.   Some frameworks are based on the development of integration while others focus on integration as a guiding curricular strategy.  With a number of tools and other strategies like these in the literature, it can be overwhelming to structure an evaluation plan that ensures that integration efforts contribute to knowledge gains or changes in student thinking, not just realignment of topics. For this reason, the goal of this focus session is to provide guidance in both the evaluation of integrative activities at various development stages and methods to capture integrative cognitive learning through outcomes and examinations in the pre-clinical curriculum.  Tools and methods from one institution will be described, discussed, and shared with participants.  Participants will have the opportunity to share ideas and strategies from their own institution.
 

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