Purpose
Including learners in the curricular design process ensures that changes are informed by critical stakeholder perspectives and helps prepare learners to be leaders in academic medicine. While many institutions involve learners in curriculum design by collecting retroactive feedback after changes are implemented or incorporating learners in small-scale revisions, our institution included medical students as active co-creators throughout the curriculum renewal process.

Methods
An annual open call for student participation on the Curriculum Renewal Workgroup (CREW) consisted of an application and interview. Annual recruitment ensured 3-10 students, MS1-MS4, were involved at any given time. Students attended weekly meetings, splitting time between the entire CREW and subgroups focusing on specific aspects of the curriculum such as foundational sciences and core clinical rotations. After several weeks learning workflow, vocabulary, and curriculum design theory, students worked alongside faculty members to research and create the new curriculum. Students spent between 1 and 4 hours per week on CREW-related tasks.

Results
Involving students as active co-creators in the curriculum renewal process improved mutual understanding of content delivery perspectives and helped produce a curriculum informed by and tailored to the needs of its key stakeholders. It provided students with valuable knowledge and skills related to curriculum design and unique opportunities for mentorship, preparing learners for careers in academic medicine. Challenges of co-creation included variation in student schedules, differing levels of curriculum design knowledge, and navigating hierarchy.

Conclusions
Several lessons were learned. Involving students in curriculum co-creation is highly rewarding for students and critical for renewal success. An open call for participation was crucial. Faculty must understand students’ roles as colleagues, not just opinion-givers, and create a safe, respectful environment. Using first names and holding regular weekly meetings fostered collaboration. Dividing tasks between faculty and students and co-creating content were effective strategies.