Name
Integrating Immunology and Pathology Through Collaborative Concept
Mapping: A Visual Active Learning Approach
Date & Time
Monday, June 8, 2026, 1:49 PM - 2:09 PM
Location Name
Estes A
Speakers
Authors
Deeksha Sikri, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Charlotte, NC
Lauren B King, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Charlotte, NC, USA
Presentation Topic(s)
Instructional Methods
Description
Purpose:
Pre-clerkship students often perceive immunology and pathology as
fragmented and abstract. This project aimed to design and evaluate a visual,
collaborative active learning sequence that (1) integrates innate and
adaptive immune mechanisms with pathologic outcomes and (2) uses concept
mapping to strengthen clinical application and peer learning.
Innovation:
We implemented a three-session sequence in a pre-clerkship immunology
course (n = 49), co-facilitated by Immunology and Pathology directors.
Session 1: Students constructed
visual models of the innate immune response using cut-out images of immune
cells, cytokines, and barriers in response to a clinical trigger.
Session 2: Adaptive immune
components were layered onto posters. Faculty then removed key elements
(e.g., phagocytes, complement, T/B-cell subsets) to simulate
immunodeficiencies, prompting prediction of clinical and pathological
consequences.
Session 3: Students completed
collaborative concept maps: half mapped immune–pathology relationships for
viral exanthems, and the other half for toxic shock syndrome, followed by a
gallery walk for peer review.
Outcomes/ Challenges:
Students consistently rated these sessions among the most helpful course
activities. Qualitative feedback highlighted improved integration (“putting
different pieces together”), enhanced clarity of mechanisms (“mapping out
concepts from start to finish”), and the value of peer learning during the
gallery walk (“teaching each other material helped me understand better”).
Learners emphasized the importance of applying knowledge through these
exercises. No major logistical challenges were reported, supporting
feasibility for scaling.
Conclusions:
A co-facilitated, image-based concept mapping sequence can effectively
integrate immunology and pathology in the pre-clerkship curriculum while
promoting systems-level thinking and collaborative reasoning. Combining
progressive visual pathway building, deliberate “removal” to model
immunodeficiencies, and gallery-walk concept mapping represents a feasible,
adaptable approach for strengthening mechanism-to-clinic connections in
medical education.
Pre-clerkship students often perceive immunology and pathology as
fragmented and abstract. This project aimed to design and evaluate a visual,
collaborative active learning sequence that (1) integrates innate and
adaptive immune mechanisms with pathologic outcomes and (2) uses concept
mapping to strengthen clinical application and peer learning.
Innovation:
We implemented a three-session sequence in a pre-clerkship immunology
course (n = 49), co-facilitated by Immunology and Pathology directors.
Session 1: Students constructed
visual models of the innate immune response using cut-out images of immune
cells, cytokines, and barriers in response to a clinical trigger.
Session 2: Adaptive immune
components were layered onto posters. Faculty then removed key elements
(e.g., phagocytes, complement, T/B-cell subsets) to simulate
immunodeficiencies, prompting prediction of clinical and pathological
consequences.
Session 3: Students completed
collaborative concept maps: half mapped immune–pathology relationships for
viral exanthems, and the other half for toxic shock syndrome, followed by a
gallery walk for peer review.
Outcomes/ Challenges:
Students consistently rated these sessions among the most helpful course
activities. Qualitative feedback highlighted improved integration (“putting
different pieces together”), enhanced clarity of mechanisms (“mapping out
concepts from start to finish”), and the value of peer learning during the
gallery walk (“teaching each other material helped me understand better”).
Learners emphasized the importance of applying knowledge through these
exercises. No major logistical challenges were reported, supporting
feasibility for scaling.
Conclusions:
A co-facilitated, image-based concept mapping sequence can effectively
integrate immunology and pathology in the pre-clerkship curriculum while
promoting systems-level thinking and collaborative reasoning. Combining
progressive visual pathway building, deliberate “removal” to model
immunodeficiencies, and gallery-walk concept mapping represents a feasible,
adaptable approach for strengthening mechanism-to-clinic connections in
medical education.