“Integrated curriculum” is a widely used yet inconsistently applied concept in medical education. At its core, integration refers to purposeful connections across disciplines—linking basic sciences, clinical sciences, and professional skills to create a cohesive learning experience. Horizontal integration aligns subjects taught within the same phase (e.g., pharmacology with physiology), while vertical integration bridges content across years (e.g., basic sciences with clerkships). Accreditation bodies such as the LCME and WFME emphasize curricular integration for its potential to improve knowledge retention, strengthen clinical reasoning, and better prepare students for practice. However, integration efforts are hindered by siloed teaching structures, misaligned assessments, and faculty resistance.

This interactive workshop will engage health professions educators in addressing barriers to integration, with special emphasis on pharmacology as a model discipline. Through facilitated small-group discussions, participants will analyze real-world case scenarios illustrating integration challenges, brainstorm practical solutions, and share best practices. Large-group debriefing will consolidate strategies for aligning content, fostering faculty buy-in, and redesigning assessments to emphasize interdisciplinary application rather than rote memorization.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explore strategies to engage reluctant faculty and disciplines in curricular integration efforts
2. Discuss approaches for designing assessments that align with integrated curricula
3. Identify practical ways to integrate pharmacology with other basic sciences (e.g., anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, and pathology)
4. Apply insights from group discussions to outline a plan for overcoming common integration barriers at participants’ own institutions.